Age of Discovery

Under the dominion of the Shangal Empire, Andrea remained essentially unchanged for over two millennium. During this period great cultural, artistic, and architectural feats were accomplished, but little scientific progress was made. However, this could not last forever, and the long isolation was broken early on July 23, 1112 CE.

While Andrea had slept in blissful isolation, the rest of the world had not been idle. New technologies and ways of thinking were developed in the kingdoms of Dorania, and it would not be long before the people of Dorania started spreading out across the world in search of trade, conquest, and new lands to settle. One of those explorers was the Casatan Enrique della Plata Vasquez. Working for the crown of Casata, Captain della Plata Vasquez had already led several expedition into the Posdosan Ocean, and had helped to established fledgling colonies in Nueva Casata (today Astralis). On July 7th, his fleet had come across a small fishing vessel containing people of an unknown land who spoke a language not know to anyone on board. At first it was thought they had been lost at sea and had come from Kanjiri or a Mounist Emirate, as their ship and tools were more advanced than anything seen in Kwasina. Eventually, della Plata Vasquez came to realize that they came from an as yet undiscovered land to the south. He immediately set sail, and his fleet arrived in the busy port of Kandar on Andrea's north coast. Thus began the entry of Andrea into the modern world.

Following the discovery of Andrea, Casatan and other merchants visited often, creating a trading city today know as Port Eris. Trade was very lucrative for the both the merchants and the Imperial Officials who skimmed from tariffs and took bribes whenever possible. Also accompanying the merchants were Cruistian missionaries who sought to convert the Andreans to their religion. Traders and Missionaries brought with them new ideas and customs, which attracted people from all across Andrea to the island enclave of the Doranians.

Not everyone was happy with the newcomers. The northern nobles resented the threat to their power the newly rich merchants who dealt with the foreigners represented. The old aristocratic ways which were tied to the land could not compete with the new manufactories that were springing up in towns and cities. The Emperor too was troubled by the actions of the foreigners. The missionaries were converting many to the new religion, taking them away from Emperor worship and the traditional reverence for ancestors. Trouble was brewing under the surface.

Things came to a head in 1187 CE. Angry Cruistian converts disrupted ceremonies in Kandar and Sangpan on the Emperor's birthday. The resulting riot killed 19 people, including the Emperor's cousin. Emperor Cho Quin IV was furious over the incident and ordered the expulsion of all foreigner. The Cruistians and Andrean merchants resisted the edict, hiding priests and smuggling Doranian goods. On April 3rd, 1189, a group of over 2,000 Cruistians attacked a group of soldiers sent to arrest a Casatan priest, killing over 300. Similiar incidents followed, until the Emperor finally outlawed Cruistanity, ordering all Cruistians to publicly reject their false religion and venerate the Emperor. In response, over 90% of the Cruistans in the Empire rebelled, expelling government officials. The North was in chaos, with cities and towns sacked by opposing Imperial and Religious forced. To make matters worse, many officers and soldiers had joined the rebels.

The Emperor summoned help from the Southern Dukes, amassing tens of thousands of troops with combat experience against the hill tribes of the interior. Duke Wearaxx of Velkora personally lead 30,000 troops against the Cruistians. The rebellion finally ended when Duke Wearaxx Velkora captured Kandar Castle, and slaughtered 100,000 Cruistians who had been hiding in the city. Emperor Cho Quin rewarded the Southern Dukes for their loyalty by granting them greater local control over the Imperial Buearacracy in their domains. He was especially grateful to Duke Wearaxx, who's clan he granted the exclusive right to deal with foreigners, provided they never allowed Cruistianity to take root again. The few remaining Cruistians went underground, not emerging again until after the Revolution a century later. Many elements of Cruistianity, however, were picked up by the followers of Zos Pater, turning a small outdated cult into a major religion in Andrea. Since the Zosian Orthodoxy recognized the Emperor as a divinity, it was tolerated by future Emperors who had no desire to provoke a second civil war.