Aragonia
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Overview
The Kingdom of Aragonia is recovering from being almost overrun by the Carthaginian empire, (also called "Moors" or "Moros") and their government is returning to its former strength. Little by little. Their way of government is feudal, with four different families maintaining a strong rule of each province, the Archiduques of Viana, Asturias, Castilla and Lusitania, and the Rey, who heads the Royal House of Aragon in Viana and superceeds all the Archiduques in the provinces. It is said that the House of Aragon has had ties to Terre D'Ange for long enough given its proximity to Siovale and a certain amount of intermarriage that might account for their longevity if not a lot more. Their emblem is a Golden Lion.
Far different from their neighbors in Terre d'Ange, they do not live by the credo of "Love as Thou Wilt" nor do they have the sexual mores of the Night Court, probably because their inheritance is patrilineal and patriarchal societies will have strong taboos regarding monogamy and infidelity. Many of the countries that held to the tiberium model during their expansion share this trait, and the House of Aragon is said to be descendants of such.
Geography
Regions
Asturias
Asturias 
A map of the regions and their division
- Castile-Leon
- Cantabria
- Basque Country (Euskerria)
- La Rioja
Castilla
- Extremadura
- Madrid
- Castile-La Mancha
- Murcia
Viana
- Navarre
- Aragon
- Valencia
- Catalonia
Lusitania
- Galicia
- Portugal
Climate
The climate in Aragonia is extremely variated. Just like in Terre D'Ange, in the past few years there has been a rare 'winter' effect that has caused the winters to be much colder than they used to be, but that seems to be in the decline now and it is turning once again back into the more comfortable and familiar patterns of the Iberic Peninsula Weather
Society
General
- Aragonians are in general tough, proud people. As for physical appearance most Aragonians are fairly swarthy and olive-skinned, with dark-colored hair. They favor loose-fitting clothing, though their Royal Court fashion styles widely mimic D'Angeline fashion; whom they admire and somewhat envy. They're certainly no strangers to hard work; an honest day's work is one of the primary tenets of their society, a necessary evil considering the roughness of their landscape. They are honest people however, and prefer bluntness in diplomacy compared to the often flowery and poetic language of other nations. Most Aragonian males will know how to wield a weapon of some kind thanks to the several years of mandatory military training each province requires of their citizens.
- Gender equality does not exist in this country nearly as much as it does in Terre D'Ange or Alba and Eire. Much like their caerdiccan counterparts the Aragonian have a patriarchal mindset, and women are as much property as they are trophies, chattel and trade subjects. This doesn't mean that a woman is entirely powerless, some have been known to rise on the impulse of intellect, cunning, beauty and/or hard work to the highest positions of society. Whenever they do so, though, it is a precarious standing, and they must be very careful to not give those waiting eagerly a reason to act and pull them down. By the same measure, aragonian law dictates that women do not own property or coin of any kind, anything they earn, make, use or produce belongs to their caretakers, be it father, husband or son.
Noble Titles Equivalence
Roi/Reine - (Rey/Reina)
Dauphin/Dauphine - (Príncipe/None)
Prince/Princesse - (Infante/Infanta)
Sovereign Duc/Duchesse - (Archiduque/Archiduquesa)
Duc/Duchesse - (Duque/Duquesa)
Marquis/Marquise - (Marqués/Marquesa)
Comte/Comtesse - (Conde/Condesa)
Baron/Baronne - (Barón/Baronesa)
Monsieur/Madame - (Don/Doña)
Renowned Families
The House of Aragon
- The House of Aragon has strong ties of diplomacy and Marriage with the D'Angeline peerage. They are currently the ruling House of the Aragonian Kingdom.
Naming Conventions
On first names:
- Naming means the world to an Aragonian. By simple recitation of their names they can trace their genealogy back for as many generations as they remember. They have at least two first names, but more the higher their class. It is tradition to name the first children with each of the grandparents first names, the second with their second, and so on.
On last names:
- The first last name is rather simple to figure out as well. For those unlanded or without standing, their last name takes form of their fathers first name plus the suffix -ez. This way, Rodrigo's son Juan Carlos would be called Juan Carlos Rodriguez Gutierrez, provided that his mother's last name was Gutierrez.
- The rest of the names come thus straight from the family tree, and go as far as the family is given to remember. The rule is that the higher in society the family is, the longer the chain of last names they record, so when one is introduced to Juana Perez is quite different from when one is introduced to Doña Juana Ines Perez Rodriguez Lopez Rosales
- An exception is made for women, as well, when they marry they don't lose their first name but rather gain that of their husband, so if Doña Juana from the previous example were to wed Juan Carlos, her name would be from then on "Doña Juana Ines Perez Rodriguez de Rodriguez Gutierrez
On landing suffixes:
- When a noble is entitled to land, it is proper that they will have their title added to the last of his name. So if someone in the noble's relatives in first degree (parents, children, spouse) were to hold the seat of say.. the barony of La Mancha, their name would have the added suffix of "de La Mancha" If they are the heirs to more than one seats, their title is composed by adding the word "y". So It would be Juan Carlos Rodriguez Gutierrez Gimenez Perez de La Mancha y Zaragoza. Fortunately this is only used in formal occasions and then only once, so most of the time we will be talking about him as "Don Juan", or "Don Juan de La Mancha"
Religion
Celtic Beginnings
Similar to the Alba and Eiran religion, the Celtic Polytheism was the original cultural movement of the Aragonian ancestors. Druidic and nature-related, it had close ties with the supernatural and spiritual world. While not given human form, everything was considered to have its own spirit and personality, from the sky to the storm, to the dark caves underground, and they would be mediated with by the druids, bards and mage-singers. This was never completely lost through the ages, but its purest form can be seen in the rural areas, more so the further northwest one travels into the peninsula.
Tiberian and Moorish Additions
With the arrival of the Tiberian forces and subsequent occupation, the two cultures became fought and incorporated to each other without quite becoming one or the other. Tiberian religion and its polytheistic pantheon mixed in the local legends with the forces of nature one by one, giving the previously wild manifestations new anthropomorphic forms. That is how in some places the wind became Aeolus, the storm became Jupiter, and in others, it was the other way around. Beliefs varied a lot, with the strongest Tiberian acculturation towards the southeast of the peninsula, and the weakest one on the northwest.
The Carthaginian occupation brought in itself another look at the gods, with their triad of Baal, Tanit and Eshmun bringing even more variety to the pool. On the other hand, and particularly towards the border with Terre d'Ange, the belief in the angels and the one true God has been strong for quite some time, which makes the religious outlook of the country look even more confusing to the casual onlooker. That is probably what is making it so very easy for the Yeshuites to gain a foothold as they have been doing of late.
Yeshuite influences
For a long time, Yeshuites have been roaming the world at large. Upon Carthaginian ships, on horse or on foot, they easily find their place in towns with their strong moral codes and the unerring faith that makes them who they are. The level of acculturation in Aragonia makes it easy for new faiths to be introduced up to a point, and that has already been done. Followers of Yeshua ben Josef have settled themselves in the most populous cities, their message stronger by example than by preaching though there is some of the latter now and then. In Amílcar itself, some of them occupy some powerful positions, the frequent rumors of there even being close advisors of the Rey who follow the path going mostly unchallenged.
History
General Development of the Iberic Peninsula
Celtic Waves
- Of celtic origin, memory and history speak of the first people that settled the aragonian lands as different celtic groups, the Iberians, the Lusitanians, the Gallaecians and other smaller cells.
Tiberian Waves
- There was the Tiberian expansion as it was mentioned in the books, but it didn't reach as far nor did it settle as deep as it has in real world history. The actual waves took most of the eastern and southern part of the peninsula but did not manage to reach the northwestern coast. That means that the celtic culture can be a lot more prevalent the further northwest one goes.
In the Last Century
Carthagenian Waves
- The south of the peninsula belonged to the Carthagene empire since before the Tiberium expansion, but when the Tiberium Empire started to break apart the Carthaginese became more and more enticed by their northern borders. A loose alliance with Ephesus marked the growth of their power. When lack Terre D'Ange had its crisis during the last of the De la Courcel dynasty, the moors took their chance that the D'angeline lack of leadership would have left it in little to no condition to assist Aragonia.
- In the latest events, their advances have been pushed back all the way to their original stranglehold and further, but Carthage still maintains a somewhat tenuous hold of the southern part of the peninsula.
New Developments and Current Hooks
Debt and Loyalties
- With the assistance of Terre D'Ange's armies, the Carthaginian invaders have been pushed back to their original holdings and further south even. Thanks to this Aragonia seems to be in rather good diplomatic relations with the Angeline Crown. The throne and in particular the province of Viana has also a certain debt of gratitude with the De la Courcel and De Morhban families, and the rulers of the four main provinces hold a debt to the ruler of Aragon, King Francisco Pedro de Viana y Aragon.
The Aragonian Succession
- King Francisco Pedro is currently devoid of heirs and with no signs of being working towards it at the time being. There have been a few rumors here and there about his courting a D'Angeline bride, but nothing official has come to fruition for the time being. The house of Aragon has an amount of blood ties with Terre D'Ange's own as we know it, and doesn't seem to be too adverse to continuing them, particularly after the proven assistance of each kingdom by the other in times of need.
- Of course should he marry and beget heirs, those who expect to inherit after him might be slightly disappointed, and it isn't clear whether they have their own agents at work to prevent such thing from happening. It may have even worked in the past after all.
The Yeshuite Connection
- Yeshuite religion and culture seems to be finding an open berth in the ravaged lands of the freeed Aragonia. With most of the culture shock from the moorish occupation having destroyed the pillars of their original celtic creed, the followers of Yeshua bin Josef spread their word among the crowds and in many places it has been seen as a welcome change, where the new religion adapts the two old ones and serves to mesh it into two. It is hard to tell, because the three are yet to find the right balance.
- A few Yesuites of renown have been known to settle in Amilcar of late, drawing a good amount of prosperity to it as well and promising to do even more so. The crown's eye is said to be upon them, even to the point of rumors being started about the possible the way this strong religious sector and the Aragonian rule often move in similar ways of late.
Quotes
Kushiel's Dart:
- I saw the gold lion of the Royal House of Aragon flying above a company of foot-soldiers, some thousand strong, who wore flared steel helms and fought with well-trained efficiency, using long spears to force back the Skaldi foot.
Kushiel's Chosen:
- "She hasn't a centime to her name, did you know it? It all went to her husband, through Aragonian law, and what he's not drunk, he's squandered."
- Remy, swearing furiously, straggled to his feet, shaking his head like the dancer in the Aragonian bull-masque, ready to attack again.
Kushiel's Avatar:
- Fernan - Count of Amílcar
- Euskerria was a native province of northwestern Aragonia, annexed by the descendents of Tiberium who comprised the House of Aragon.
- "The men were Carthaginian slave-traders. They were bound for Amílcar, in Aragonia."
- It is forbidden to own slaves of Aragonian or D'Angeline birth in Aragonia, that much I knew. And it would be a bold Aragonian lord indeed who dared defy that edict. Terre d'Ange is their nation's greatest ally. Without our might at their back, Aragonia would be vulnerable to the empire of Carthage to its south.
- And Amílcar was a port city.
- It was done in accordance with Aragonian law, which is harsh and exacting. If I had known, at the time, what I was asking, I do not know if I would have had the stomach to ask it. Count Fernan put the Carthaginians to torture
Kushiel's Scion:
- "They've got one of those spotted horses from Aragonia, did you see?"
- In Night's Doorstep, we halted. Gilot's mount was lathered and blown. The Bastard arched his neck and pranced, huffing. He was not even tired. The spotted horses of Aragon were known for their endurance.
Kushiel's Justice:
- It made me smile to imagine tiny Alba ruling the world. And yet mayhap it wasn't so strange. Tiberium was only a city, and yet its empire had encompassed the whole of the Caerdicci peninsula, all of Terre d'Ange, large tracts of Aragonia and Skaldia. It had even reached Alba's shores.
