Votharheim

Votharheim (sometimes written Vodarheim, in Votharian: Voðarheim / 𐍁oðւphєıм / ᚢᛟᚦᚨᚱᚺᛖᛁᛗ), officially known as the Sovereign Confederacy of the Democratic Republics of Votharheim (Votharian: Fullvalda sambandsríki lýðræðislýðveldanna Voðarheim / ᚠᚢᛚᛚᚢᚨᛚᛞᚨ ᛊᚨᛗᛒᚨᚾᛞᛊᚱᛁᚲᛁ ᛚᛁᚦᚱᛇᚦᛁᛊᛚᛁᚦᚢᛖᛚᛞᚨᚾᚾᚨ ᚢᛟᚦᚨᚱᚺᛖᛁᛗ) is a country located in the Northeast part of Hatar. It has only one land border with X, but has maritime border with Saesland to the South and the Union State in the East. Votharheim is mainly comprised of islands situated between the Ezaconic Ocean, the Tavaric Ocean and the Valkon sea. Its capital is Alþýðubær, but the largest city is Grenivyk with almost 3 million inhabitants. The population is denser in the South due to the harsh polar climate of the North.

According to medieval sagas, the first kingdoms in Votharheim dates from the first century, but archeologists think that organised societies in the area can be traced back at least up to the second century BCE. Votharian tribes came from the central Hatarian plain and probably share ancestors with the Sundish people. The Votharian kingdoms slowly united during the Middle Ages until the creation of the United Kingdoms of Votharheim in 1389, which lasted until the revolution of 1806. During the 19th century, the country was an Empire which was in turn dissolved after the revolution of 1902. In 1912, the Union of Votharians Socialists Councils, a dictatorship, was established and lasted until 1985. The Votharian Confederacy was created in 1987 with the intent of uniting all the states of the former Votharian Union.

Votharheim has a mixed economy, a heritage of the socialist organisation. The states intervene in the economy in order to protect domestic companies as well as working rights, in a system known as the Votharian Model. It is defined by an elaborate social safety net, defence of the workers' rights, overall ease of doing business and cooperation between employers, trade unions and the government. This system works at the cost of relatively high taxes burden upon the companies and citizens but allows Voltharheim to guarantee high standards of living despite not having a very high GDP.

Etymology
The name Votharheim (Votharian: Voðarheim / ᚢᛟᚦᚨᚱᚺᛖᛁᛗ) comes from the old religion. In the tradition, there is different worlds and Votharheim is the one of mankind. During the 9th century, explorers and raiders started to discover the world around them and stated to use Votharheim to describe their homeland as a geographical area. The use of the name to describe a political entity started in 1389 at the creation of the United Kingdoms.

Prehistory
Proto-Votharians were an Avalonic people who migrated from central Hatar up to the northern islands. Their migration route is still debated, but two theories are seen as more probable: the Sea road and the Piirimaa-Leiland road. The sea road theory would make the Proto-Votharians arrive in nowadays southern Votharheim by following the coastline on boat, maybe exploring Saesland on the way. The Piirimaa-Leiland theory would make them go through the northern land road, through Piirimaa, before crossing the sea in Leiland.

Onstad culture (3rd century BCE-1st century CE)
In Votharheim, the society of the late Iron Age is called the Onstad culture (also called early Votharian culture), which is named after the archeological site of Onstad. It is divided between Southern (Suðavska), Central (Fallmoeska and Elveska) and Continental (Leiloska). Those divisions are the basis of the various Votharian sub-cultures and linguistic groups.

There is few remains of this period as many buildings were made of wood, but ruins of what is thought to be temples or palaces has been found in a few major settlements. There is also a lot of sculpted stones who allow archeologist to better understand the life and beliefs of people of the era. Those stones can have a lot of various meanings, the main being for blessing, commemorating oaths, mark borders or tombs.

Early kingdoms (1st century-5th century)
Around the first century, the political structure of the society shifted from a tribal system to a proto-monarchic one, called the Jarldom system. The Jarl was an elected ruler with almost full power over his community until his death.

Specialists think that this system was one of the reasons that allowed the creation of the early kingdoms, as Jarls tried to enter in the sagas by becoming legendary war leaders. One other reason is the shift from a familial form of ruling to a public one, allowing a ruler to exercise his power over other communities.

In the beginning, those kingdoms were often quite small, as the communities had to gather to elect the Jarl-King. This led to a fragmentation of power around the 3rd century, as the positions of Jarl and King began to be more distinct. The Jarls were still elected, but mostly within the, the martial aristocracy loyal to the sovereign, while the kingship was increasingly hereditary.

Five kingdoms (5th century-1389)
The "five kingdoms" of Votharheim is the name commonly given to the five main kingdoms who rose as the main powers in the archipelago during the High and Central middle ages. Those kingdoms are: - Kingdom of the Sudavans of Ostad - Kingdom of the Sudavans of Bjerkvik - Kingdom of the Fallmonians of Holand - Kingdom of North-Fallmoen - Kingdom of the Elvenians