Zarkan Kingdom

"I, queen of the Zarkan Kingdom and empress of the Zarkan Empire, do announce the withdrawal of the Zarkan Kingdom and the Empire from the Union of Earth States with immediate effect on the grounds of Union betrayal of its founding principles and its unconstitutional acts of placing taxes and tariffs on nations without their approval."

- Queen Jane I announcing the secession of the Zarkan Kingdom and Empire from the Union of Earth States

The Zarkan Kingdom was a nation located on the planet Earth, on the continent of Aerman. The native Zarkanians were descended from Aermen explorers and settlers who moved west from Aerlandia, and as such were descendants of the Northern Coast Culture from ca. 50,000 BBY, as were the vast majority of the natives of the Aerman continent. The national personification of the Zarkan Kingdom was "Mother Zarkan", also known as "Zarkania", Mother Zarkan was the subject of the Zarkanian national anthem, Zarkania, Mother of Freedom, Mother Zarkan later became the national personification of the Confederate States of Earth. President Jane Zarkan, founder and head of state of the Confederacy, was considered the embodiment of Mother Zarkan.

The mythical personification of the Zarkan Kingdom was Aersif, the "Dragon Mother of the Aermen", the chief goddess of the Aermen religion, Aersif featured on the national flag of the Zarkan Kingdom.

The Zarkan Kingdom was founded in 1,000 BBY by King Thomas I who led Zarkan Colony to liberty in the Zarkanian War of Independence against the neighbouring Kingdom of Westland, the Zarkan Kingdom defeated and occupied Westland in the same war, beginning the Zarkan Empire, which covered 1/7th of the world by 81 BBY. After independence the Zarkanian Parliament decided to adapt Columbia, the Pride of the Ocean, the national anthem of the island nation called Columbia, to fit the new Zarkanian nation, the tune was popular with Zarkanians, so it was decided to use it in the Zarkanian national anthem.

In 680 BBY Edelbert I "Edelbert the Mad" took power, his bizarre and unusual personality led many to assume he was insane, one of the most infamous acts of lunacy was to declare war on some cheese which had dropped on his foot and hurt him after he had tried to move it due to the smell of it "offending his nostrils". Edelbert I was only king for a short time before he was sent off to an asylum and his wife Queen Aelif I ruled in his place.

In 75 BBY the Zarkan Kingdom joined the Union of Earth States, it was one of the first members of the Traditionalist Faction. Initially loyal to the Union the Zarkan Kingdom began to waver in its loyalty in 25 BBY with the passing of the Zarkan Tax, which put heavier taxes on the Zarkan Kingdom and Empire. In 24 BBY Jane Zarkan and Andrew Hatton were nominated by the Traditionalist Faction to run in the Union of Earth States Presidential election, 24 BBY, but they were defeated by Richard Williams.

Richard Williams was a centralist and advocated more federalism, reducing the power of member states in favour of a stronger central government, this naturally annoyed many traditionalist members, who wanted the Union Senate to keep out of the affairs of its member nations.

The passing of the Traditionalist Faction Expulsion Act in 21 BBY, which banished the members of the Traditionalist Faction from the Union Senate because of the accusation that the members of the faction had conspired to assassinate Alexander Androski, a leading pro-Richard Williams senator in the Union, proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back, the Zarkanian Parliament voted for secession from the Union, Queen Jane I announced her nation's secession from the Union of Earth States, so began the First Secessionist Crisis, as 58 other nations, all of which had been members of the Traditionalist Faction, seceded from the Union in short order, the first ten seceded nations, the Zarkan Kingdom, the United Provinces of Adin and Morin, the Kingdom of Princeland, the Republic of Selandia, the Toman Republic, Erastan, the Kingdom of Westland, Norland, the Sothland Republic and the Confederation of the Drelan River, formed the Confederate States of Earth.

Appearances

 * Ashes of War
 * A.R.K.: Ancients to the Modern Aliens