The Levant (Game of Nations)

The Levant, officially the Most Serene Kingdom of the Levant, is a nation in the Middle East. The Levant traces its origins back to the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem and Crusader-occupied Egypt. Jersualem evolved into the Levant after expanding into Syria and the Fertile Crescent. The Levant met its first great threat in the form of the Mongol Empire, but the Mongol defeat at Baghdad ended the eastern threat to western civilization and secure the Levant's place as a major world power. A Muslim uprising in the late 15th century and the massive shrinking of Levantine territory indirectly resulted in the beginning of the Age of Discovery and the discovery of the New World. The Levant only established one colony in the New World, which later peacefully gained independence. The Muslim uprising was later resolved peacefully by Arthur VI, who established Muslims and Christians on equal footing in his kingdom, thus forming the modern kingdom of the Levant. Arthur was also responsible for the creation of the Deputies Assembly, a conclave of Christian and Muslims nobles from across the kingdoms who held considerable sway and often influenced matters of state. The Assembly eventually eclipsed the power of the king and resulted in the formation of a system similar to that of England, which was by now known as the Roman Empire.

Today, the Levant is one of the most powerful nations in the world and by far the dominant nation in its region, with a population nearing 50 million and possessing the sixth largest economy in the world. The Levant was last rocked by the Levantine Revolution of the 1930s, which officially secularized the executive.

Jerusalem
The marriage of Queen Sibylla of Jerusalem to her cousin King Richard the Lionheart of England is frequently cited as the action that saved Jerusalem. Their son Arthur later went on to expand his kingdom and essentially combined all the Crusaders states into a single nation.

The Mongol invasions
The Mongols swept through Persia, bringing them to the doorstep of the Kingdom of the Levant. The Mongol invasion was crucial to uniting Muslims and Christians. The threat of a common enemy quelled rising tensions between the two religions in the kingdom and the subsequent victory over Hulagu Khan secured the future of the Levant.

Monarchy
The monarchy currently lies in the House of Plantagenet, as it has since days of Arthur the Great. Arthur XIX is the current King of the Levant and his heir is Alexander, the Prince of Egypt. The monarch's official titles are By the Grace of God, the King of the Levant and the noble land of Jerusalem, Defender of the Faiths, Keeper of the Peace, and Prince of Rome. The last title is held as a courtesy, as Arthur I was a son of the English king. The courtesy is maintained by the Roman Emperors.

Executive
The executive of the Levant is governed by the Council of Presidents. There are seven presidents, 2 Muslim, 2 Christian, 2 Jewish, and 1 elected by the people. The electoral nature of the seventh president typically means he is a Muslim. There used to be 6 presidents, the leaders of the legislature, until the Revolution forced democratic changes. Each President is also responsible for one of the seven chanceries (State, Treasury, War, Justice, Interior, Human Resources, Technology and Exploration). The current Lord President is Hamis Al-Sayd, the President of the Interior Chancery. The President's chancellory duties are typically deputized to the Secretary of that chancery.

Legislature
The legislature is divided into two parts, the Chamber of Deputies, noble lords of the kingdom, and the General Assembly, the elected representatives of the people. The Chamber of Deputies includes the Lords Spiritual, representing the religions of the Levant and responsible for maintaining interreligious peace.

Judiciary
The judiciary of the Levant is controlled by the Supreme Tribunal of the Levant, led by the Lord Marshal of the Levant, the highest ranking judge in the land, and his ten associates, each being the chief judge of one of the ten provinces.

Geography
The Levant occupies Egypt and the central parts of the Near East. The kingdom is divided into ten provinces: Egypt, Jerusalem, Alawite, Syria, Aleppo, Druze, Lebanon, Kurdland, Mesopotamia, and Gulf.