Chumashmark (The Kalmar Union)

The Principality of Chumashmark, Chumashmark, is a medium sized constitutional monarchy on the West coast of Leifia. It is bordered by Esselenmark and South Yokutland to the North and Tongval to the East. The population is around 1.6 million and the capital is Soxtonoxmu.

The Head of State is Princess Qilikutayiwi.

The official language is Chumash. There is also a significant European descended minority and Danish is widely spoken. Most Chumash are bilingual.

The currency is the Chinese Leifian Yuan (CLY).

History
The various tribes were welded together as a single unit by the efforts of 'Prince' Helek during the late 14th century. Squeezed between the Xakxwetian Confederation (see Tongval) and Ohlonsk tribes it eventually joined the Patwin League to see off the advances of them both.

It frequently was odds with the unaligned Ohlonsk over the number of minor states that lay between them and would often insist that the Patwin League, after a season's campaigning in the south, campaign against the Ohlonsk as they made their way back north. This arrangement served all parties and generally ensured a good turnout for the annual campaigns. Even if operations against the Mexic did not go totally to plan then fortunes could always be made by a raid or two against the Ohlonsk on the way home.

In this Chumashmark felt reasonably secure. It had swallowed several of the smaller Ohlonsk/Esselensk states, had a large settled population and had built large stone-walled towns which were the envy of the region. However the declining ability of the Patwin kings to manage the alliance allowed Ohlonemark to test its limits during the 18th century. During the course of the Wars of Patwin Partition Chumashmark was frequently on the back foot. Although never conquered outright its army was massacred on two occasions and the arrival of the Ohlonsk navy into Soxtonoxmu Bay accompanied by indiscriminate shelling of the city is immortalised in numerous paintings, poetry and even in film (The Sea Beyond (2014)). It would be forced to cede the important border fortress of Satacoy after the 3rd Patwin-Ohlonsk War and much of its northern territory, as well as the Limuw Islands, was apportioned out to European settlers allied to the Ohlonsk.

During the Second Mexic-Leifian War much of Chumashmark was devastated by a particularly brutal series of engagements with the bloated Mexic army. The Patwin League, or rather the Chinese now running it as a puppet-state, organised a massive relief effort and by 1793 the Mexic were pushed back over the Xakxwet River and indeed far back into their own territory (as far as Colhuacan).

A change in Ohlonsk fortunes and decisive leadership from Chinese Leifian League led to the heavy defeat of Ohlonemark in 1803 and all the lost Chumash territory was returned to it. Unlike the Esselensk Chumashmark did not evict its foreign population after the 4th Patwin-Ohlonsk War, thanks mainly to its efforts during the 2nd Mexic-Leifian War, and has effectively used the community as a source of foreign funding and investment (in stark contrast to Esselenmark which is now starved of investment).

Chumashmark is lightly industrialised along the coast. Inland; agriculture, especially wine production and herding dominates the west whilst more basic foodstuffs employs the east. Oil is beginning to be extracted in large quantities which should make the country less reliant on exports to Chinese Leifia and it is one of the most eager adopters of petrol-driven automobiles in Western Leifia.

Water supplies, or rather the lack of them limit the growth of its cities and farmland and a Chinese Leifian sponsored project to build a massive pipeline from South Yokutland to Chumashland to currently in the works.

Government
Chumashmark is a constitutional monarchy and elections are held every three years for its single chambered Council.

The current Head of State is Princess Qilikutayiwi and her Prime Minister is Mikiw Tomolo'o.