Vatan (Crimean Tatar) ("Homeland") | |||||
| Anthem | "Ant etkenmen" | ||||
| Capital | Aqmescit | ||||
| Largest city | Aqyar | ||||
| Language | Crimean Tatar | ||||
| Demonym | Crimean | ||||
| Government | Constitutional Monarchy | ||||
| Legislature | Qurultay | ||||
| Area | 26,964 km² | ||||
| Population | 2,356,942 | ||||
| Independence | from Russia | ||||
| declared | 1917 | ||||
| Currency | Crimean akşa (CRA) | ||||
Crimea, officially the Crimean Khanate (Crimean Tatar: Qırım Hanlığı), is a constitutional monarchy located on the Crimean Peninsula in Eastern Europe.
Modern Crimea was formed in the aftermath of World War I, when Crimean politicians and activists declared independence from the Russian state and the formation of the Crimean People's Republic. In the aftermath of the Russian Civil War, Crimea fell under Germany's influence and became a monarchy. In the first stages of the Eastern Front of World War II, Crimea was invaded and occupied by the Soviet Union, becoming a constituent socialist republic.
When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, Crimea regained its independence. The Crimean government-in-exile and much of the Crimean diaspora returned, quickly establishing Crimea as a haven of development and human rights on the Black Sea. Within the last twenty years Crimea has grown its economy, expanded its development, and aligned itself with Germany and the United States by joining the European Union and NATO.
Crimea is one of three Muslim-majority countries in Europe, the others being Albania and Ciscaucasia. It is one of two countries in the world whose head of state is styled as "Khan", the other being Mongolia, and the only one that is Turkic and hereditary. Crimea is one of two Turkic countries in the world that is rated "Free" by American NGO Freedom House alongside Tuva.
History[]
Earlier History[]
For more information see main article: History of Crimea
The Pledge[]
Noman Çelebicihan was a prominent Crimean Tatar politician, lawyer, mufti, and poet who served as president of the transitional Crimean People's Republic and prime minister of the modern Khanate of Crimea. He is recognized as the founding father of Crimea to this day.
In late 1917, the authority of the Russian state had shattered. As first the monarchy and then the republic fell victim to internal revolution, various political movements and ethnic groups strived to gain power or independence. The Crimean Tatars were no exception, as they had been Russian subjects for over a century. A Muslim Turkic nation, the Tatars did not fit in with the predominantly Christian and Slavic Russia or Ukraine. 76 Tatar delegates gathered into the Crimean Qurultay, which declared Crimea to be independent and prominent Crimean intellectual and delegate Noman Çelebicihan as its first president. The Crimean People's Republic was the first Turkic and Muslim democratic republic in history.
However, quickly the Russian Civil War reached Crimea as White Russians and Bolsheviks fought each other. Crimea gained a brief respite when it and Ukraine recognized each other's independence, temporarily removing the threat of Ukraine, whose nationalists considered Crimea to be a Ukrainian province. Despite Çelebicihan's attempts to obtain international recognition and proclaim neutrality, neither the Bolsheviks, the Russian Whites, or the German Army recognized the People's Republic. However, German, Romanian, and Greek troops occupied Crimea by the terms of Brest-Litovsk and the People's Republic was permitted to function as an autonomous provisional government.
During the Eastern War, Germany officially recognized Crimea, although by this point Crimea's nominal independence was a fiction. Crimea could not survive against the Bolsheviks alone, forcing Çelebicihan to acquiesce to German whims. Germany used Crimea as a staging area for both its land forces and a newly formed Black Sea Squadron of the German Navy. However, Germany and its allies successfully defended Crimea against Bolshevik invasions, and the independence of Crimea was recognized by both Germany and Soviet Russia in the Treaty of Riga. Other countries in the world soon recognized Crimea as well.
During the 1920s, Crimea tacked closely to Germany, maintaining German military forces and joining Germany's Central European Association. These moves were unpopular with the Crimean public, but Çelebicihan's popularity kept low any threat of revolution. Çelebicihan effectively ruled as a benevolent dictator during his entire tenure, although he was regularly elected by popular acclaim. Germany, fearful of his popularity, pressed Crimea to establish a monarchy, creating a rival for the people's affections. The Qurultay complied, inviting Ahmet Tevfik Pasha of the Ottoman Empire to take the throne as Khan. Ahmet soon took the name of his ancestors and became Khan Ahmet I Giray, with Çelebicihan as prime minister.
While Crimea remained under German influence, considerable investment transformed the economy of the country. Tourists from Germany and other German-friendly states grew over the post-war period and German financial investment was considerable. Germany also refurbished the shipyards and naval base of Aqyar, former Sevastopol, and based their Black Sea Fleet there to serve as a counterpart and protective force against the Soviet Union's naval forces in the area. There were fears, supported by statements by prominent German nationalists like Ludendorff, that Germany sought to colonize Crimea and introduce large numbers of Germans over time. Mass migration policies were stopped after riots targeted German businesses and homes in 1933.
Sürgün[]
Despite the collapse of the German economy in the Great Depression, Crimea continued its integration with the German geopolitical system over time. Çelebicihan did his best to diversify his country's relationships by forming economic partnerships with Turkey, Great Britain, Italy, and the United States, but nothing compared to Germany's all-consuming influence. In 1936, Khan Ahmet I died and was succeeded by his son, Ismail I. Crimean society was further scandalized when it became known that Hümeyra, the only child of Ismail I, was having an affair with Christian Ludwig of Mecklenburg, a prominent German prince, placing significant strains on Aqmescit's ties with Berlin.
Increased resentment by Crimean citizens towards Germany and German domination led to a growth of unrest and the consolidation of a local Crimean Communist Party, which became the primary vehicle for agitation against the Khanate. The Crimean Communists formed close ties with the neighboring Soviet Union and the NKVD used Crimea as a launch pad for infiltration to the Balkans and parts of the Middle East. The Khanate responded by declaring the Communist Party outlawed and launched a propaganda campaign that the party was controlled by Stalin and a front for Russian imperialism. While neither statement was incorrect, popular resentment made it increasingly difficult to stamp out the Crimean Communists once and for all.
When World War II broke out, Crimea joined the war on Germany's side and was a major center for German operations on the Eastern Front. The German Black Sea Squadron and the fledgling Crimean Navy contained the Soviet Union's Black Sea Fleet while the German Luftwaffe used Crimean air bases to strike Soviet targets in the Caucasus and along the Volga region. However, sabotage by Crimean Communists made life difficult for German operations and Crimea's actual contribution, by absolute size, was minimal.
As the war progressed, the Soviet Union increasingly took advantage of Germany's difficulties on the Western front to achieve success in the south. The Soviet 1944 offensive smashed Germany's military in Ukraine and Crimea, enabling Soviet forces to occupy most of Ukraine and all of Crimea. The Crimean royal family, government, and many thousands of connected Crimeans fled to German-controlled territory. Germany and the new Crimean government-in-exile hoped to retake Crimea before the end of the war, but Germany was unable to do so, only succeeding in taking back parts of Ukraine and Belarus. In 1945, Germany and the Soviet Union, absolutely exhausted by the war and unable to conclusively defeat the other, signed a white peace along the front lines. Crimea considered this to be a great betrayal as Crimea remained in Soviet hands. The Sürgün, or exile, had begun.
The Soviet Union, adhering to its ideology of international revolution for all peoples, established a Crimean Soviet Socialist Republic as part of its occupation. Most Russian and Ukrainian people had moved out of Crimea during its period of independence and many returned or immigrated to Crimea during that time, solidifying Moscow's grip on the territory. Any German immigrants were deported to Germany or exiled to Siberia if they refused to leave. The Soviet Navy returned to its traditional base in Sevastopol. The Crimean government-in-exile, with little choice, aligned with Germany and opened up offices in Berlin and Ankara to maintain continuity in government and hope that one day Crimea would be liberated from the Soviet Union, just as it had gained independence from Russia years before.
Oh, Beautiful Crimea![]
Geography[]
Crimea occupies the entirety of the Crimean Peninsula in eastern Europe. The Crimean Peninsula borders Ukraine by land to the north and Russia by sea to the east. As a peninsula, Crimea is bordered on most sides by the Black Sea.
Politics[]
Like most European countries, Crimea is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The Khan is the official head of state and the Quraltay, Crimea's unicameral parliament, selects the Prime Minister, the head of government. The Khan is a member of the House of Giray, a Turkic dynasty that descends from Genghis Khan of the Mongol Empire. The dominant political parties of Crimea are the National Party, which is Crimea's oldest political party and dates from independence and the Social Democratic Party, which is a reformation of former Communist Party members. The current prime minister is Rüstem Ümerov of the National Party.
Constitutionally, Crimea defines Islam as its state religion, although the free practice of other religions is defined as well.