Jüterbog (The Kalmar Union)

The County of Jüterbog and Zinna, Jüterbog und Zinna, Jüterbog a Zinna, Jüterbog, a small constitutional elected monarchy in central Europe. It is a member state of the Holy Roman Empire. It lies between Brandenburg to the North and Electoral Saxony to the South. The capital is Jüterbog and the population is around 145,000.

The Head of State is Count Johann.

Both German and Sorbian are official languages reflecting the fact around 30% of the population self-identifies as Sorb.

The currency is the Brandenburg Taler (BDT).

History
Once a thriving Sorbian town, Jüterbog was incorporated into the diocese and then the Prince-Bishopric of Magdeburg in around 1147 as German power slowly pushed eastward into Slavic lands. Archbishop Wichmann would found the Abbey of Zinna in 1170 and the new influx of German or Flemish settlers and monks helped drain the surrounding lands making them agriculturally productive.

The territory remained an exclave of Magdeburg until the Reformation. Remaining catholic while Magdeburg itself became Lutheran it was not brought into the Schmalkaldic 'Empire' when it defiantly split away in 1548. The Schmalkaldic leaders looked to limit the number of 'islands' it had within the main empire, mainly to reduce the potential for future conflict. Magdeburg would be compensated by being given primacy over the Lutheran church.

Zinna abbey closed in 1589 as Lutheranism finally took a grasp of the Abbey-County but the territory had long become a puppet state of Electoral Saxony, governed by local lords heavily associated with the Wettin dynasty. An attempt to return it to Catholicism in the 1590s did little but cause unrest and depopulation. It would be heavily damaged during the Fifty Years War as Luxembourg, Saxon, Brandenburg and Kalmar Union troops frequently scuffled on the border lands. It was briefly occupied by the radical forces of the Brandenburg Commonwealth in 1663 but was liberated and restored as a Saxon client state in 1668.

Jüterbog was finally given full independence in the aftermath of the Brandenburg Wars (1801-1815) which pitted Brandenburg against Electoral Saxony and Magdeburg. Typically Jüterbog suffered from invasion and occupation by both sides. To help soothe the problem of their long tangled border Jüterbog was handed small sections of both Saxon and Brandenburger territory and Saxony was ordered to relinquish its control.

Jüterbog henceforth adopted a new constitution. Though some called for an outright republican diet many felt this would a step too far and so an elected monarchy was instituted. These days Jüterbog benefits from its proximity to the booming Brandenburg capital Berlin and is a major stop on the Berlin-Anhalt Line.

Government
Jüterbog is governed by a small single-chambered Diet. Elections for the Diet are held every four years. Elections for Count are held on the death of the incumbent though only Diet members can vote in this. The office is mostly ceremonial but in theory any non-ruling member of a European monarchy can enter the ballot.

The current Head of State is Count Johann, a cadet member of the Palatinate Wettins. The Head of Government is Administrator Wilhelm von Brandt.