The Pax Aeterna and the Thirteen Regions of the Republic
Part 1 of 4
Greater Venetian Region (GVR)
The History of the GVR and its Economy
The agricultural hinterlands of Venice, the fields of the GVR are the capillaries that feeds into the heart of the Republic and are economically well of as a result. With an insatiable demand for fresh foods & water the GVR is dotted by orchards, bee farms, vineyards, and pastures. With rising income in Venice the possession of a country villa has become increasingly popular in Venice as both a status symbol and as an idyllic retreat from the city. Due to the region's ancient associations with Venice and the cordial conditions of the people of the region are considered full Venetian citizens but are given autonomy by ancient treaties and understandings.
With the exception of Chioggia the formerly a vibrant region the shorelines of the Lagoon has been brought out by the Ministry of the Waterways and reclaimed as a buffer zone for the lagoon. Having taken the lessons of Torcello to heart the Ministry wages a relentless war against the elements to preserve the city of Venice; Entire rivers are diverted and their communities relocated, vast tracts of prime farmlands are brought out to be reclaimed by nature, severe ordinances are passed against littering in the lagoon, and even the sea is held at bay with the subsidized construction of a second line of settlements on the Lido and the discussion of a third. The Ministry carries out its mission with such zeal that it even attempted to sue the Venetian Inquisition for dumping in the lagoon only to fail due to a lack of proof.[1]
The Language and Food of the GVR
The region is the only part of Terra Firma that speaks Venetian in its vernacular. While the Ministry of the Waterways are a cause for grief with its extreme measures the region is otherwise content with its relation to Venice.
The food of the GVR has always been synonymous with Venetian cuisine. As the former emporium of sugar and spice to Christendom venetian cuisine boasts a massive variety of spices and deserts gathered from all four corners of the world. Despite their wealth the Venetians maintained a relatively vegetarian diet and while meat was always present in small amounts it was rarely a main course due to the preference for rice, bread, vegetables, and fish. Perhaps universal among the denizens of the Republic is the consumption of bread, regardless of where one ventures in the Republic bread can be found at the dinner table. A common practice is the substitution of a piece of flat bread on a plate instead of a bare plate after which the bread is used as a napkin and eaten or given to the poor.
Unique in Christendom is the practice of ramèneda-frito (stir-frying), a Cantonese method meant for frying vegetables with meat and seafood and well suited to the Venetian palate of vegetables and fish. While many ramèneda dishes are actually Venetian adaptations of Cantonese food they are marketed as Cantonese food for the appealing mystique of the Far East. Unlike the Cantonese method however, the Venetians do not use a wok that is difficult to master and wasteful in oil but flat cast-iron pans instead. Another emerging trend within Venice is the practice of "Croce cuxinàda", a style of cooking focused on the artistic presentation of food as well as the atmosphere of the restaurant. [2]
The Geography, Climate, and Infrastructure of the GVR
Much like Venice the region is low-lying, wet, and dotted with marshes cultivated only through ingenuity. Alternating between rain and sunshine the region is densely populated and supported by fertile soils. While the region is wet, the occurrence of rain is rare and the region is instead hydrated by down flow of water upstream.
Frequently travelled and militarily secure the region has a dense network of infrastructure frequented by merchants, pilgrims, and travellers alike. Country and metropolitan styles merge with rustic family inns dotting the countryside beside vast warehouse complexes and sprawling canals built for commerce.
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Istria
The History and Language of Istria
The red-headed stepchild of the Venetian Republic Itstria was gradually assimilated & conquered starting from the 9th century before it was formally annex in 1267. An older part of the Republic than most of Terra Firma they are still seen as a distinct cousins due to their Istrian culture that is a mix of Venetian, Croatian, and Slovenian. Nonetheless the city of Venice has always been sustained by immigration from all corners of Christendom and the Istrians are favored above others. With an economy based on fishing and agriculture the region is considered poor in comparison to Terra Firma. Unlike the rest of the Republic Istria city fortifications are still in use in Istria as the region was not deemed important enough to warrant defending all of it while the countryside is supposed to be razed in the event of an invasion.
The Geography and Infrastructure of Istria
A gradient of coasts to hills the region has enough rain but not the soils for a large population and is considered sparsely populated compared to Terra Firma. Poorly travelled and militarily a liability the region has modest infrastructure dotted by fortifications and is often bypassed by travellers.
The Food of Istria
The food of Istria can best be described as robust and hearty and a typical meal is a mix of boiled veges and beans, bread, and the occasional grilled pork/fish. A sign of its foreign influence "Golas" (goulash) is particularly popular in the region; originally invented by Hungarian shepherds meat is stewed in spicy vegetable broth, treated with lemon juice, and sun-dried making an easy and portable meal with the addition of water. While golas are just one of the many dishes unique to the region its portability and easy storage made it a favorite of Venetian travellers which popularized them where ever they went.
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Venetian Friuli
The History of Venetian Friuli
Traditionally the seat of the Patriarch of Aquileia, the much hated enemy of the Republic the Bishopric was annexed in the Hungarian-Venetian war of 1411. Seen as a military frontier and economically unimportant the region's nobles and clergy were given a large degree of autonomy in-exchange for keeping the peace and staying out of the way of the Venetian Military. Unlike the rest of the Republic that benefited from a vibrant economy the region of Friuli was left behind due to a lack of interest and a lack of local resources. Poverty combined with a large degree of autonomy for the local lords & frequent skirmishes between the lords led to widespread and harsh exploitation which boiled over a full century after its annexation during what was called "Crudel zobia grassa" (Cruel Thursday of Abundance). Secretly spurred on by a rival noble the peasants rioted, indiscriminately murdering nobles and clergy and staging mock parades with the looted clothing of the nobles. The macabre mockery continued for a month while the Venetians dithered not for a lack of means but a lack of precedence as the Venetians have never had to contend with a popular revolt within the Republic. Careful to involve senators from all regions within the discussion it was eventually decided that the worst excesses had to be curbed but that the rights of nobles and local authorities respected. The rebels that committed murder were declared traitors and hanged while the majority of the peasants returned to the fields and a local peasant organization was founded to address grievances. While the law stated that the nobles with rebels were to be penalized but eventually restored the senate's hesitation meant that by the time order was restored all the nobles and clergy were already dead. Remarkably only a single member of the former clergy and noble survived the rebellion, a six year old noble by the name of Crestina di Òrpopuła who was mistaken for a servant's daughter. After the month of rioting the majority of people in the region quickly grew weary of the chaos and violence and yearned for a return to feudalism of which Crestina was the only viable candidate. Given dual Venetian citizenship Crestina was allowed to establish her own dynasty when she came of age through matrilineal succession as the countess of the largest noble fief within the Republic.[3]
The Geography of Fruili
A kaleidoscope of hills, mountains, and coastal plains the region is the rainiest part of Terra Firma but it does not have the soils for a large population and is considered sparsely populated compared to Terra Firma. Once home to great oaks the region has been depleted but not abandoned as the Venetian Admiralty have turned vast regions of land into its own lumber reserves for future generations.
The Economy, Infrastructure, and Language of Fruili
Poorly travelled but militarily important the region has a dense network of infrastructure and fortifications used mostly by the military. Much like Venetian investments the Venetian language has only penetrated the coastal region around Grado while the majority of the proven spoke Friulian with a minority of Slovene speakers in the East. Still, among all the languages Friulian is the only other language besides Ladin that shares a common ancestor with Venetian and most Friulians can understand the Venetian language to limited degrees.
The Food of Friuli
The palate of Friuli tends to be as vegetarian due to the region's poverty. With their meagre incomes the Fruilians supplements their meals with the occasional fish and poultry and make the best of their meals with a wide assortment of herbs. Paradoxically the region is also well known for its desserts despite its poverty, for only in the harshest of famines are desserts in Friuli ever skipped. Perhaps the most famous of the Friulian deserts is the "yota", a soup of beans and sauerkraut that gives off a delightful contrast between sweet and sour and also an indication of the German influence within the region. Popularized by the House of Valente which insisted on having yota served where ever it went the desert was for the longest time thought to have been a Genoese dish due to its association with the Valentes.
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[1]More or less OTL Ministry of Waterways, but with more power and resources. Lagoons and marshes are by their nature temporary as river deposits and dumping inevitably leads to silting.
[2]Similar to OTL with Cantonese influences and some of my own inspirations based on 19th century French cuisine.
[3]Similar to OTL the Republic never really gave the region much thought beyond its use as a military buffer, but unlike OTL the rebellion was allowed to go on much longer ITTL due to the senate's worry over precedence as many local authorities feared losing their own power after a federal intervention.
*At this rate of world building I'm starting to feel like a writer for a travel agency
ersonally I would have kept Padua-Verona-Vicenza together (especially Verona and Vicenza were historically very close), placing the border somewhat ti the South of Legnago. It is just a nitpick I must admit, and maybe it was explained in some old post which I can't remember anymore.