Archive:Hemesh

This page is about the peninsula in Ekuosia. For the sovereign state of the same name, see Hemesh (country).

Hemesh Peninsula

Unofficial flag
Location of the peninsula (green)
Geography
Location	Argeyaz Bay, Gulf of Ishenar
Major islands	Ksham Island
Area	1,020,890 km2 (394,170 sq mi)
Countries
Fyevan
Capital city	Kuvsvjad
Area covered	191,923 km2 (74,102 sq mi; 7001188000000000000♠18.8%)
Hemesh
Capital city	Gemet
Area covered	242,983 km2 (93,816 sq mi; 7001238000000000000♠23.8%)
Orzun
Capital city	???
Area covered	206,379 km2 (79,683 sq mi; 7001202000000000000♠20.2%)
Sroyos
Capital city	???
Area covered	379,605 km2 (146,566 sq mi; 7001372000000000000♠37.2%)
Demographics
Demonym	Hemeshi
Population	87,500,000 (as of 2015)
Density	85.71 /km2 (221.99 /sq mi)

The Hemesh Peninsula, or simply Hemesh, is a large peninsula located in the southwestern portion of Ekuosia. Initially the home of coast-dwelling fishing cultures, the peninsula was settled permanently by Argeyazic tribes as early as 400 BCE, primarily along the coast. The area was a hotbed of regional variation for more than 2,000 years.

History

The peninsula was united by the Terminian Empire in 1322 CE, which gave way to the peninsula becoming its own empire after Terminia's decline in the mid-1400s. A rocky history with Kauzia developed during the era of the Neviran Empire, in which part of the peninsula was conquered by General Sao in 1484, and amidst the chaos Emperor Sayasho was killed in battle. Without his uniting force, the rest of the peninsula plunged into civil war that spanned decades. In 1506, Sayasho's grandson Adoz reunited the warring states, then attempted to exact revenge on Kauzia; a grave mistake.

Nevira bit back by having Sao's territory assimilated to Neviran culture, which inadvertently led to the gradual collapse of the Neviran Empire as its vassal realms either defected or fell to rebels due to being weakened. After Kauzia's collapse in 1524, the territory of Saovia nominally served the ruler in Yisma. Hemesh's attempts to reintegrate Saovia were mostly ineffective, not helped by the scheming Algazi League beginning to gain power in the region. Eventually Saovia was reincorporated, but not without flaw.

Since then the peninsula remained politically stable only through relentless compromise with the factions that made up most of the ruling elite, and as a result the Hemesh Empire was never a particularly strong force. During the 17th Century Norjihan managed to use the weakness of the Empire to carve out a protectorate in modern Sroyos. During the 18th century, areas of western Hemesh were conquered by Terminia (who used their rule over Hemesh in the 13-1400s as justification) and Letzia.

During the Great Ekuosian War, Hemesh's monarchy was overthrown by Letzian-sponsored insurgent Korsa Olboros, which supported the Unity side of the war. However, his authority quickly crumbled and in 1950 the divided peninsula was occupied by the new Allied Letzian regime, the Algazi Union, and Kúúlist militias. During the peace negotiations, the peninsula was divided into West Hemesh (including areas which had remained Letzian until the GEW), East Hemesh and the Helsonian satellite state of Orzun.

However, this failed to stabilise the region. In 1962, faced with a linguistically similar but culturally divided population, East Hemesh collapsed into 3 independent polities. Only three years later, the formerly Terminian and predominantly Pashaist region of West Hemesh unilaterally declared independence as Fyevan.