Cusabo (The Kalmar Union)

The Republic of Cusabo, Cusabo, is a small constitutional republic in south-east Leifia. It is bordered by Catawbaland, Mvskokia and Icelandic exclave of Rolegurfolkland. The capital is Skorrye and the population around 483,000.

The official language is Cusaboan.

The Head of State is President Tyb Etiwan.

The currency is the Cusaboan Crown (CSC).

History
The Cusabo tribe were first mentioned by Vinlandic and Álengsk explorers slowly mapping out the Leifian coast in the 11th century. They were apparently friendly and welcoming.

They were subsumed into the Aniyunwiyan realm following conquest by Edoha in the 1240s and they would remain in the Aniyunwiyan orbit until 1482 when the Second Empire collapsed. Left to its own devices the Cusabo would fight furiously to maintain their independence in the post-Aniyuwiyan vaccuum left in south-east Leifia. A centralised monarchy was established and feudal structures reinforced to keep the army on near-constant footing. Álengsk missionaries spread Catholicism, from their base on Daufuskyjar (which had been semi-claimed by Álengsk merchants in the 1490s) but it never quite displaced the native religion leading to a syncretic faith.

Cusabo would conquer the Guale tribe in 1565 meaning they now held both banks of Ša·wano·ki River and, fearing that they would be next, the Yamasee tribe contracted Icelandic mercenaries to develop defences. The defences turned out to be expensive and shifting trade routes ruined the Yamasee tribe leading to Iceland's takeover and annexation. Many Yamasee would flee north into Cusabo and Cusabo would fight a minor war with Iceland in 1620 but the new defences held.

Rice was cultivated from the 1680s onwards, possibly having been introduced by Portuguese merchants and this soon eclipsed more traditional Leifian crops. Much of the lowlands north of the Ša·wano·ki were soon covered by dykes and levees to support rice growing. In other areas indigo and cotton was grown whilst south of the Ša·wano·ki forests and potato growing dominated. All this not only supported a considerable population boom, the exports, especially to Álengiamark, were soon lining the pockets of the local lords and Icelandic merchants alike.

During the Leifian Crisis the country weathered the initial shocks thanks to uninterrupted food exports but the monarchy became increasingly dictatorial attempting to hold back reform of the serf system which kept the vast majority of the population from sharing in the country's wealth. The monarchy was eventually overthrown by a republican revolt in 1850. Many Leifian states had previously fought to restore monarchies in their neighbours but the sheer brutality of the Yesan Revolutionary War (1847-1850) had sapped most of their desire for war, hence the new regime in Cusabo was left alone. The government moved quickly to abolish serfdom but the subsequent economic shock of this would leave it politically unstable for years to come. It would stay aloof from the Cotton Wars which raged next door from 1885-1920 and, profited somewhat from Mvskokia's breakup.

Much of Tsalagi and Upper Mvskokia's exports are transported on the Ša·wano·ki River and the harbour at Yfusinique where the river meets the Atlantic is one Leifia's busiest. Cusabo is still is dominated by agriculture, especially rice and forestry for paper pulp.

Government
Cusabo is a constitutional democracy with elections held every four years for a single chambered Diet. Following the reforms of 2016 there are votes for all adults over the age of 21.

Elections for the office of President are held 'mid-way' through a Diet's term. The current president is Tyb Etiwan.