Al-Bayd (An Honorable Retelling)

Kingdom of Al-Bayd فآما لا الءبايد Timeline: An Honorable Retelling
Flag Coat of arms
Motto:  سييرآتا وو كورونتو "Order and Progress"
Anthem:  !لآنا سو الءبايد "Glory to Al-Bayd!"
Location of Al-Bayd (green)
Capital (and largest city)		New Timbuktu
Other cities		New Gao, Baydino, Kunda, New Dakar, Dhariba, Muhammad
Official languages		Mandinka
Regional languages		Arabic
Religion		Sunni Islam
Demonym		Al-Baydian
Government		Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy
-	Mansa	Kondo II
-	Prime Minister	Salif Mohammed
Legislature		National Assembly
Establishment
-	Mali discovery of the continent of Muqaddas	1312
-	Declaration of Secession	1845
Population
-	2022 estimate	178,637,775
Currency		Al-Bayd riyal (ABR) (﷼)
Drives on the		right

Al-Bayd, officially the Kingdom of Al-Bayd (Mandinka: فآما لا الءبايد), is a country located on the continent of Muqaddas and is bordered by Suriname and Henryland to the north, New Dover to the east, and Antartique and Novanglia to the south. With its origins going back to the 1300s with the Malian arrival to the New World under Mansa Abu Bakr II, Al-Bayd remains the oldest continuously settled region in the Western hemisphere by Afro-Eurasians. For 500 years, Al-Bayd would remain part of the large Mali Empire, being the epicenter of the Empire's transatlantic slave trade and the center of wealth of the empire. However, the abolition of slavery by decree of Mansa Souleyman II in 1843 sparked a revolution by the slaveholding elite by Al-Bayd, resulting in a revolution led by the slaveholding elite and Mansa Souleyman II's nephew, Kondo. Badiaga's revolution would be successful, and he would be crowned Mansa of the Independent Kingdom of Al-Bayd in 1845.

From 1845 until 1960, Al-Bayd would be ruled by an oppressive monarchy rooted in Islamic law. Behind the Grand Confederation, Al-Bayd was the last country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery in 1890. Despite decades of absolutist rule, the absolute monarchy would be forced to reform into a constitutional and federal system following a pro-democracy republican insurrection starting in the late 1950s. Since reforming into a democracy, Al-Bayd has been able to make inroads with other countries in Muqaddas and across the world.

History

Pre-colonial history (before 1312)

Some of the earliest human remains found in Muqaddas, Hafsa Woman, were found in the area of Great Plains and provide evidence of human habitation going back at least 11,000 years. The earliest pottery ever found in the Western Hemisphere was excavated in the Dhariba basin and radiocarbon dated to 8,000 years ago (6000 BC). The pottery was found near Santarem and provides evidence that the region supported a complex prehistoric culture. The Marajoara culture flourished on Marajoh in the Dhariba delta from AD 400 to 1400, developing sophisticated pottery, social stratification, large populations, mound building, and complex social formations such as chiefdoms.

During the time of Malian arrival, the territory of what is now Al-Bayd had an estimated indigenous population of around 6 million people, mostly semi-nomadic, who subsisted on hunting, fishing, gathering, and migrant agriculture. The population comprised several large indigenous ethnic groups, primarily the Tupi people, who were subdivided into the Tupinikins and Tupinambas.

Malian arrival and colonial era (1312-1845)

Despite conflicting evidence as to whether or not it was a Mansa, or an explorer who sailed on behalf of him, Mali under Muhammad ibn Qu made arrival in what is now Al-Bayd 1312. The goal was to potentially sail across the Atlantic Ocean to find a land of interest, or to circumnavigate the globe with the goal of subduing beliefs by their northern counterparts that Mali's seeming decadence and vast riches would bring about a decline. Their voyage was accounted by Mansa Musa, Qu's successor, in 1324 while on Hajj in Arabia.

An envoy of Mansa Souleyman I of Mali arrives in New Timbuktu (1358)

While initially uninterested in the prospects of a transatlantic voyage, Musa did not prohibit ships of his own accord moving back and forth between the hypothesized land, and allowed explorers such as Ibin al-Qua to use resources to establish settlements in the region. With the aid of their Cordoban counterparts, Mali invented the Windward Vessel, a ship whose lateen sails gave it speed and the capacity for sailing windward (beating). New Timbuktu was founded in 1330, and became the first colony to financially thrive in the New World. After discovering the length of the landmass outside of the settlement, Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta while sailing for Mali hypothesized the existence of a new continent. Upon arriving back in Mali in 1357, Battuta illustrated his findings and named the continent "Muqaddas", meaning "sacred" or "holy". His findings were followed by Mansa Sulayman I and an envoy visiting the colony a year later.

The Mali Empire, at home and abroad, expanded through conquest or annexation. In the event of conquest, farins took control of the area until a suitable native ruler could be found. After the loyalty or at least the capitulation of an area was assured, it was allowed to select its own dyamani-tigui. This process was essential to keep non-Manding subjects loyal to the Manding elites that ruled them. In the New World, a lack of major resistance on behalf of the natives meant that farins often had indefinite rule. It was not until the 1500s that the first native ruler was elected to regional office in Al-Bayd. Barring any other difficulties, the dyamani-tigui would run the province by himself collecting taxes and procuring armies from the tribes under his command. However, territories that were crucial to trade or subject to revolt would receive a farba. Farbas were picked by the mansa from the conquering farin or family members. The only real requirement was that the mansa knew he could trust this individual to safeguard imperial interests.

While little records do exist of the early interaction between the natives, such as the Tupi, and the Malian settlers, several have referred to them as the "lesserspeakers", likely a name given due to the inability of Malian explorers to actively communicate. Enslavement of the natives took place from a period lasting from 1320 to 1450, and while Malian contact granted surviving natives immunity from later European diseases, many were assimilated into the later Afromuqaddian culture that has lasted into the modern day. News of the colonies did not reach Europe until around the 1330s, and most nations did not actively view it a concern due to Battuta's label of the region as a continent not being widely accepted in Mali proper until shortly after Portugal had arrived. Mass conversions of the natives to Islam also established a religious foothold, extending the Christo-Islamic conflict from its origins in the Levant to the New World.

Independence and monarchial era (1845-1960)

Mansa Kondo declaring Al-Bayd's independence, 1845

After the abolition of slavery by Mansa Mohammed on 1843, the slaveholding elite of Al-Bayd would spark a revolution against the Mali Empire, sparking the Al-Bayd War, also known as the Al-Baydian War for Independence. Starting from the Dhariba plateau, the independence movement, led by the Mansa's brother Kondo, would spread throughout all of Al-Bayd. The final Malian soldiers would surrender on March 1845 when Kondo's army arrived in New Timbuktu, declaring independence and crowning Kondo as the Mansa of A-Bayd; Mali officially recognized the independence of Al-Bayd on 29 September 1845.

Under an oppressive absolute monarchy, Al-Bayd would enforce Islamic law in its lands, enforcing Islam throughout the whole country, even towards the native population. This caused many revolts throughout the country, such as the Tupi movement, a pro-separatist, Tupi-led movement in the Dhariba region, and the Guarani revolt of 1868. Most revolts proved to be unsuccessful against the wealthy monarchy, and were highly surpressed. Al-Bayd would remain an isolated country until it was reformed into a democracy.

During the middle of the monarchy, internal political debate centered on the issue of slavery. The Atlantic slave trade was abandoned in 1850, as a result of the British Aberdeen Act, but only in May 1890, after a long process of internal mobilization and debate for an ethical and legal dismantling of slavery in the country, was the institution formally abolished with the approval of the Golden Law by Mansa Alhassane I. After the abolition of slavery, relations between Al-Bayd and the local native population would improve, and trust for the monarchy would grow.

Culture

The New Timbuktu Carnival is one of the largest carnivals in the world.

The core culture of Al-Bayd is derived mainly from Malian culture, because of its strong colonial ties with the Mali Empire. Among other influences, the Mali introduced the Mandinka and Arabic languages, Sunni Islam, and colonial architectural styles. The culture was also strongly influenced by European, indigenous, and non-Malian Afro-Eurasian cultures and traditions, primarily Córdoban, Portuguese, and Tupi cultures.

Some other aspects of Al-Bayd culture are influenced by Arabic and European cultures, as well as immigrants from East Asian countries. The indigenous people influenced Al-Bayd's language and cuisine. The Europeans also influenced language, cuisine, music, and dance.

Sports

The most popular sport in Al-Bayd is association football. The Al-Bayd men's football team is ranked among one of the best football teams and has won the World Cup two times, but consistently does very well in the World Cup. Volleyball, Basketball, Mesoball, Baseball, Rugby, and many other martial arts sports are also popular.

Government and politics

Subdivisions

Al-Bayd is officially subdivided into 15 provinces.

Map of the provines of Al-Bayd

Provinces

Name
Fondinkee
Kondo
Konoto
Kutoo Groningen
Kutoo Mali
Kutoo Niani
Kutoo Timbuktu
Ooroonoo
Saaluŋo Toron
Salama
Subaa
Sulayman
Sutoonoo
Toron
Tupinoo