Madeshir
| Madeshir | |||||
| Motecir | |||||
| |||||
| Capital | Madeshir | ||||
| Languages | Madeshiri | ||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||
| History | |||||
| • | Established | 3rd Century BCE | |||
| • | Conquered | 248 CE | |||
| • | Abandoned | 12th Century CE | |||
| b. | ... | ||||
Madeshir (Madeshiri: Motecir, Classical Algaz: Modecîr) was a city-state located in western Ekuosia from the 3rd Century BCE to 248 CE, when it was conquered by the Hafsighi Kingdom. Located 260 km northwest of Hafsigh, the city was one of the earliest urban centers in the region and, for a time, the dominant power locally. The city was conquered by the Hafsighi Kingdom in 248 CE and was ultimately abandoned in the early 12th Century CE.
History
Early History
Located in the foothills of the Koklates Mountain, Madeshir originated as a fortified settlement, either to provide refuge from hostile clans or to protect trade with the Letsatian Empire to the west. It therefore predated other early urban centers in the adjacent lowlands and Lake Wadan region by at least a century; its growth, however, took place at the same time, with the expansion and intensification of agriculture in the region.
Height
Madeshir's highly defensible foothill location, combined with its economic ties with Letsatia, allowed the city to exert control over much of the surrounding lowlands. By the beginning of 2nd Century CE, Madeshir had established itself as the dominant power in the region. As such, it became the primary rival of the Hafsighi Kingdom when the latter began to consolidate power over the Lake Wadan region later that century. In 248 CE, the last king of Madeshir, Koxroam, launched an offensive against Hafsigh and was defeated decisively; Hafsighi troops under Uftar II in turn marched on Madeshir and successfully captured and annexed the city.
Hafsighi Rule
Under Hafsighi rule, the city remained an important economic and military center. Because of its importance and proximity to Hafsigh, the city was ruled directly by the Hafsighi king; Uftar II in fact styled himself as King of Hafsigh and Madeshir, though the latter title was not used by his successors. For most of the Yurek and Sadhas periods, it was the second-largest city in the kingdom; the city's relative position began to decline in the middle of the Sadhas Dynasty, when coastal port cities grew in wealth, size, and power.
Decline
As the central Hafsighi state continued to weaken in the latter half of the Sadhas Dynasty, cities in outlying regions wielded an ever-greater amount of power and autonomy. Madeshir, however, was by that time an integral part of the Hafsighi Kingdom's royal lands, and suffered as the monarchy declined. Civil war broke out in 1078; as an important military center close to Hafsigh proper, Madeshir became a major target for rival factions. After a series of battles and sieges in 1079, 1080, 1084, and 1086, the city was badly damaged. It was not rebuilt, and was ultimately abandoned within a few decades.
Culture
Madeshir adopted Iovism early in its history. Though it was widely practiced, veneration of various indigenous spirits and minor deities continued locally and informally.
Langauge
As a result of its close ties to Letsatia, Madeshir had a long history of writing and a well-established literary tradition. While only a handful of complete texts remain, mostly monumental inscriptions, the Madeshiri language remains the only other directly-attested Continental Argeyazic language. Many Letsatian loanwords in Algaz appear to have entered via Madeshiri, especially in earlier stages.