Tver (The Kalmar Union)

The Grand Principality of Tver, Tver, Tver-Kiev, is a large autocratic monarchy in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Novgorod to the north, Vladimir to the east and Poland-Lithuania and Livonia to the west. It has a small coastline on the Sea of Azov at Mariupol. The capital is Tver and the population is just over 30 million.

The official language is Russian.

The Head of State is Grand Prince Konstantin IV

The currnecy is the Tver Ruble (TVR)

History
Once subject to Novgorod the city-state of Tver gained its independence in 1246 and quickly became one the richest Russian principalities. It was protected from the worst of the Mongol raids by its inaccessibility and by the beginning of the 14th century was vying for control of all of the Kievan Rus' successor states.

In 1323 Prince Konstantin convinced the Khan that Moscow was intending to usurp him. Withdrawing their support for the 'upstart' city Tver and Vladimir turned on it burning the city and dividing its lands between them. Thereafter the two states recognised their equal partnership, sealing an eternal alliance. This effectively split the old title of Grand Prince and provided a united front against their Mongol overlords.

In 1498 a joint Tver-Vladimir army caught the Horde at Oryol as it attempted to meet with Lithuanian allies and destroyed it. This marked the end of the 'Mongol Yoke' and both nations independence.

While Vladimir looked eastwards to the conquest of the remaining Mongol successor states Tver had a harder challenge. Novgorod had shaken off the Mongols much earlier and proved a formidable foe, one which would often lead to squabbles amongst the 'eternal allies' as they vied for position there. Poland-Lithuania meanwhile formed a vast block to the west and was slowly expanding along the Ruthenian Black Sea coast.

 'The Polish-Tverian wars are too numerous to count'  - Duke Mikhail of Tarusa, 1753.

More easily expressed as a single war with long periods of ceasefires interrupted by short bursts of violence the Polish-Tverian Wars saw the Poles slowly encroach on traditionally Kievan lands. They burned Tver itself in 1587, 1592 and 1642 but the last instance followed almost 20 years of Tverian dominance on the battlefield and ultimately achieved little.

Attempting to capture a port from weak Livonia Tver declared war in 1630 trying to take advantage of the ongoing Fifty Years War. Svealandic campaigns were largely dependent on Livonian mercenaries however and to protect their interests defended the territory from Tver, eventually taking it for themselves. For assistance in the Great Baltic War (1761-1773) Tver was awarded Leipaja as a free port. It would repeatedly use the town as an excuse to interfere in Livonia's internal disputes and by the Treaty of Kuressaare (1865) Livonia was carved into spheres of influence with Tver allowed to influence the Latvian lands. Full withdrawl of both Tver and Svealand from Livonia is planned for 2015.

Tver was able to capture the Kiev salient from Poland-Lithuania during the 2nd Hungarian War (1740-1781) and defend it during the 3rd (1784-1790). This war also saw it finally capture a warm water port at Mariupol. It is an open secret that Tver's future plans involve domination of the Dnieper and reintegration of all Kievan Rus' lands, whereas Poland sees it as a natural extension of its Ruthenian region. Relations between the two nations, usually fraught, are becoming down-right hostile.

Government
As an autocracy most laws flow through the Grand Prince's (or occasionally princess's) office and close advisors. There is a facade of democracy and elections for the Duma are held every 5 years. This acts as an advisory body and is mostly concerned with how to implement the royal decrees.

The current Head of State is Grand Prince Konstantin IV and his Prime Minister is Alexander Ljubovsky.