Sanafah (Principia Moderni III Map Game)

The Sanafah Emirate, or more commonly called Sanafah, is a Malagasy nation located on the northern third of OTL Madagascar, based primarily in the Sakalava culture and the influences of the former Mashriqi Sultanate.

History
Sanafah has a vibrant, largely tribal and seafaring history. The people of Sanafah hail from all reaches of the world, from Africa to the Near East, to India and the Indies. These unique historical aspects, which can be divided into three main periods, define the unique Malagasy culture.
 * Period of Antiquity (Antiquity-1409)
 * Arrival of Ntaolo
 * Discovery by Arabs
 * Trade Importance
 * Period of Arab Dominance (1409-1457)
 * Rediscovery by Arabs
 * Establishment of Sanafah
 * Collapse of the Mashriq
 * Period of Expansion (1457-Present)
 * First Sanafah Civil War
 * Malagasy Expansion
 * Swahili Expansion

Antiquity-1409
Oral legends from Sanfah, and the entire Malagasy island, state that their history come:


 * "From the early years of the lands of mountain, lands of jungle, lands of beach, there have been our people on the Mother Island. From across the sea came great numbers of our people, from faraway islands. In canoes, they came. These were the Ntaolo, the forerunners."

These first arrivals, according to oral legends of the Sanafah people, landed at the site of Antsiranana, the second-largest city of the Emirate of Sanafah.

It is also recorded in the oral history that traders from Omanis and Shirazis managed to make trips to Sanafah, and established a number of small towns along the coast, like Antsiranana and Mahajanga. At the same time, the Swahilis and Bantu people began to trade with the locals, who were profitting from the large trade center they had become.

The Sanafah Emirate came from the Sakalava cultural group and Islamic and Arabic influences. The Sakalava consolidated control over the western coast of the island, as well as the northern tip of the island. Meanwhile, the Merina people dominated the mountainous central reaches of the island.

In 1408, the Mamluk sailor and explorer Halil bin Sana, on his way back to Suez from voyages into southern Africa, was reported to have discovered a large island off the African coast.

1409-1457
This time era was considered to be the period when Sanafah was a colonial vassal of the Mamluk or Mashriqi Sultanate. It began immeadiately following the re-discovery of Madagascar by Halil bin Sana in 1408, which triggered the creation of a colonial state at the north of the island. The Sanafah Emirate was established as a trading outpost on the northern tip of Madagascar by Arab traders from the Mamluk Sultanate, and was largely funded by traders from the Swahili states, which looked to expand their markets.

Large-scale conversion began to take place on the island, radiating from Sanafah. The tr

In 1457,

1457-Present
After independence in 1457, Sanafah underwent a minor Civil War. This war pitted the Emir against the local Sakalava Chieftain, and saw the creation of the diarchial system of government. With this new system of government, Sanafah had more future abilities for possible unions, as the Chieftain would go on to inherit the Sakalava lands in 1461 and the Emir would establish his control over the Comoros in 14__.

Meanwhile, other forms of expansion occupied the national attention. The first type of expansion was that of infrastructure, population, and technology. The Council of Elders organized the first "modern" navy by constructing Mashriqi-influenced dhows, which improved the navy of canoes, which was pre-eminent in the early era of the region.

Additionally, cities gained new infrastructure. Starting in the capital city of Mahajanga and spreading to Antisiranana and other cities, the cities of Sanafah had ports and a road system built. Slash-and-burn tactics opened new lands up for settling.

Additionally, colonization of Dina Morgabin and Dina Arobi took place, as well as the vassalization of Sofala.

Associated States

 * See Also: Territories 

While all of these pages will (hopefully) all get their own page at some point in time, for now all associated states will be listed and described (in brief) here.

Colonies

 * Dina Morgabin - Colony of Sanafah (Reunion)
 * Dina Arobi - Colony of Sanafah (Mauritius)
 * Pembara - Colony of the Comoros (Pemba, Mozambique)

Unions

 * Sakalava - Personal Union under Tiavina Ralofoaro (since 1461)
 * Betsileo - Dynastic Union under Tiavina Ralofoaro (since 1461)
 * Comoros - Dynastic Union under Amaar Rahasan (since 1458)

Vassals

 * Sofala - Vassal of Sanafah (since 1465)
 * Bezanozano - Vassal of Betsileo (since 1463)

Government
Prior to the Arab arrival at Sanafah, the region was governed by a system of clan-based confederacies, which approximately were equal to a major ethnic group. The natives of Sanafah were governed by the patriarch of their family, who then belonged to a council of clans at a tribal level.

With the Arab arrival, however, an emir, was placed over the Sanafahi locals. This emir was a Malagasy convert to Islam who had been educated in the Mamluk Sultanate. He ruled with near total authority but was backed by a large foreign power so was in a secure position.

With the fall of the Mashriqi Sultanate and the Sanafahi Civil War,

Military
The Sanafahi military is composed of two components - the Army and the Navy. In total, about 20,000 men serve in a branch of the Sanafahi military, which is comprised of only volunteer militia troops.

The Sanafahi Army is considered to be the strongest on Madagascar, and is probably among the top armies of the Swahili Coast. The troops, although lacking the latest technology, employ devastating guerilla tactics and fight in heavy jungles to gain the advantage.

Additionally, a number of animals that are endemic to Madagascar, such as the giant fossa, are trained for military use, which is crippling to attacking forces.

Economy
The Sanafahi economy is largely based in agriculture, including logging and fishing industries.

Agriculture
With the arrivals of civilization in the form of the Austronesians and Bantu people, agriculture became a major industry in the Malagasy region. The major products of Sanafah are vanilla, coffee, cotton, and tobacco. Other produce include spices like pepper, clove, groundnut, and lychee.

All of these good make the Sanafahi economy vibrant as many of these items are desired in Europe, notably pepper and vanilla. Agriculture in Sanafah is based around the climate, which is generally conducive to growing food. The rainfall in the east, however, proves best suited for agriculture.



Livestock and Fishing
The livestock of Sanafah is based primarily upon poultry and zebus.

The fishing industry of Sanafah, though relatively primitive, provides great variety to many Sanafahi diets. Among local fish include tilapia and carp, while prawn and shrimp also abound in waters off of Sanafahi coasts. The fishing industry is especially strong in the western side of the island.

Logging
Logging in Sanafah is both a necessity and an industry. Slash-and-burn tactics have been used for centuries to clear the dense forests for human settlement, but in recent years the logs on the island have been put to better use in the emerging logging industry.

Some types of wood that are commonly logged for profit include ebony, mahogany, and rosewood. Additionally, baobab and mangrove logging are just starting in Sanafah.

Culture
The culture of Sanafah is a unique tale of its history. Multiple cultures are mingled to form a single national identity, which draws strongly from a number of influences. Among these influences are three primary cultures - Austronesian culture, Bantu culture, and Arabic culture.

All of these cultures are exemplified in different ways that all end up compatible in the Sanafahi state.

Religion
The primary religion...