That update did feel... alive. Cool and a refreshing change from Prussia. This story of Arab-Croat traders in India suits my fancy!
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This is another of the really cool things that makes this world unique. Croatian Crusader state still surviving, in deepest Arabia? That's a story in itself, how they ceased to become idealistic Crusaders, fighting for the Holy Land, and became a desperate nation, fighting for their life, and how the national ethos changed from one to the other.
The Quarti sorta remind me of the Kingdom of Cyprus as the West slowly lost it's grip over the holy land.
Mmm, very true! Except with the added bonus of the sweet exodus story! Main difference I see is the idea of Isolation Cyprus had, because it was an island, while instead of that, the Qurati have this sense of being a dying race, this sense of being hunted and all!
Thank you, hopefully you'll enjoy the next culture update too!
Well, I've decided to give you an insight into the lives of the Qurati...
Bastions
Culture Updates
The Qurati
In the sands of Arabia and the dunes that surround the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean there is a group of people that have seen much and survived much. The Qurati are some of the most misunderstood people in the Western World, which is not hard to understand when one realizes that they bridge the gap between West and Near East. But to understand the roots of the Qurati is to study the relationship between Christianity and Islam in the late XI Century. Their language is based mostly in Croatian, though Arabic stress forms have slowly trickled in. This gives rise to the old saying that to speak Croatian too slowly is to speak Qurati too quickly. Culturally the Qurati are closely related to the people that lived around them: Syrians and then later Arabs, Bedouins and Indians. The Qurati population is spread out across the Near East, giving rise to four main populations, differentiated by the four cultures mentioned above. The four main groups are the Edessans, the Bahrainis, the Goans and the Arar Qurati.
Around 1100, Croatian crusaders captured the city of Edessa and formed an independent kingdom based on the city. The King of Edessa was one of the most powerful figures in the near East, and a major ally of the Roman Empire despite their religious differences. But very few actual Croatians came on the crusade. The bulk of the Croatian Army was actually Serbian mercenaries and a small core of Croatian soldiers. Many of these soldiers expected to return, so when it was obvious that the new Kingdom needed protection from the Seljuk Empire, they were forced to start new lives in the Near East. Soon many had wives and children, the original generation of Qurati. The Edessan Empire soon expanded to include much of the Holy Land, including Jerusalem. But soon after the conquest of Jerusalem, they became the focus of the Egyptian Kingdom to the south. After the fall of the city of Edessa, the Qurati population dispersed (known as the Diaspora) throughout the Near East. Many chose to remain in lands that used to belong to the Edessan Empire, these are the Edessans. Those that fled into the sands of Arabia are known as the Arar Qurati. Those that settled along the Gulf of Persia became the Bahrainis. And those that eventually found themselves in India became known as the Goans.
A quick guide to the Qurati states and their diaspora.
The least understood of the Qurati are the Arar Qurati, known in their dialect as "Kršćaani o'paskaa" or Christians of the Sand. Like all Qurati, the Arar are almost entirely Edessan Catholic, though small Nestorian and Assyrian populations exist as well. Those that converted to Islam or Hinduism are often not considered Qurati, rather are just Arabs or Perso-Arabs. The Arar are also the only group of Qurati not to have or actively engage in a quest for independence. Their population is guessed to be roughly a quarter million and they live almost solely in the Northern Border province of the Arabian Republic. There they have a special minority status along with Muslim Arabs, though are not particularly active in national politics. The Arar, to anthropologists, is really just a cover-all for any nomadic Qurat of the Near East. Their nomadic lifestyle forces some changes, but in essence they are really just like the second largest population of Qurati, the Edessans.
Edessans claim a long line of heritage back to the Crusades. They are scattered within the Federation of Syria and Iraq and in 2013 will achieve independence as Quratia now that the Federation has voted to disband. Quratia is not centered on Edessa, much to the chagrin of the Qurati. Instead they were forced to the south, centered on Ar Rutba. When the federation disbanded, provinces held referendums on which nation to join, but many provinces secured independent population transfers in order to swing the vote for a particular side. This was all over-seen by the UN and the whole plan won the four leaders of the different ethnic groups (Arabs, Persians, Kurds and Qurati) in the Federation a World Peace Prize. The city of Edessa has long been an Armenian city since the fall of the Timurid Empire, so the Edessans consolidated around their adopted capital. The Pope of Edessan Catholicism, however, is still nominally based in Edessa; despite being forced out with the incoming Timurids. For a long time, the Pope was forced to find refuge in Bahrain, though eventually was able to move to Ar Rutba after an agreement with the secular government of the Federation.
The largest populations of Qurati live on the island of Bahrain or on neighboring Qatar: the Bahraini. The Bahraini fled to the Persian Gulf during the collapse of the Edessan Empire in the XIII Century. There they settled along the southern coast, originally stretching from Basra to northern Oman. As their coast Kingdom crumbled, most of the Qurati population moved onto the island of Bahrain, causing severe over-population and food shortages. The island nation was increasingly dependent on its neighbors for food and other goods. Eventually the nation of Oman decided to collect on the growing debts of the Christian nation and invaded and occupied the island. But after years of rebellion, the Bahraini emerged free and they soon proved to hold a grudge. In the XIX Century they invaded the Kingdom of Oman, taking much of Oman's northern territories. Eventually these were sold or given back for increasing amounts of money. But the Musandam Peninsula remained in Qurati hands until the early 1960's. It was eventually returned to Omani hands after a year-long standoff in the Straits of Hormuz. It was that year that also saw the over-throw of the centuries-old absolute monarchy and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy centered on a brother of the old monarch.
The last group of Qurati and often times the easiest to forget is the Goan Qurati, centered in India. Bahraini traders flourished between the XIV and XVI Centuries. They were the major connection between Rome and Prussia and the Far East. Since both Rome and Prussia were weak naval powers, they needed an efficient way to trade with the Far East, and Bahrain was happy to provide in return for cash and support. By the end of the XV Century, the Roman Empire had fallen on hard times, losing all of Asia Minor to the Timurid Empire. The Timurids were more than happy to trade with the Prussians, and given their direct link with India, were able to do so more cheaply. By the XVI Century, Prussia had established its colonies in Mesoamerica, ridding the need for trade with the Far East. At this point the Bahraini traders fell out of need, but tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of Qurati had moved to the west coast of India to set up shop. One city, Goa, had practically been rebuilt from ruins by the Qurati and transformed into one of the largest Christian cities in the world. Today, Goa is still a hub of trade and technology and more surprisingly, is still 98% Christian. But Goa is a subject state of the Emperor of India. Despite India's recent attempts to create a functioning democracy within their theocratic monarchy, Goa and many other Indian regions are seeking their independence in an effort to rid themselves of the inefficient bureaucracy that strangles politics in the Empire of India.
Culture Updates
The Qurati
In the sands of Arabia and the dunes that surround the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean there is a group of people that have seen much and survived much. The Qurati are some of the most misunderstood people in the Western World, which is not hard to understand when one realizes that they bridge the gap between West and Near East. But to understand the roots of the Qurati is to study the relationship between Christianity and Islam in the late XI Century. Their language is based mostly in Croatian, though Arabic stress forms have slowly trickled in. This gives rise to the old saying that to speak Croatian too slowly is to speak Qurati too quickly. Culturally the Qurati are closely related to the people that lived around them: Syrians and then later Arabs, Bedouins and Indians. The Qurati population is spread out across the Near East, giving rise to four main populations, differentiated by the four cultures mentioned above. The four main groups are the Edessans, the Bahrainis, the Goans and the Arar Qurati.
Around 1100, Croatian crusaders captured the city of Edessa and formed an independent kingdom based on the city. The King of Edessa was one of the most powerful figures in the near East, and a major ally of the Roman Empire despite their religious differences. But very few actual Croatians came on the crusade. The bulk of the Croatian Army was actually Serbian mercenaries and a small core of Croatian soldiers. Many of these soldiers expected to return, so when it was obvious that the new Kingdom needed protection from the Seljuk Empire, they were forced to start new lives in the Near East. Soon many had wives and children, the original generation of Qurati. The Edessan Empire soon expanded to include much of the Holy Land, including Jerusalem. But soon after the conquest of Jerusalem, they became the focus of the Egyptian Kingdom to the south. After the fall of the city of Edessa, the Qurati population dispersed (known as the Diaspora) throughout the Near East. Many chose to remain in lands that used to belong to the Edessan Empire, these are the Edessans. Those that fled into the sands of Arabia are known as the Arar Qurati. Those that settled along the Gulf of Persia became the Bahrainis. And those that eventually found themselves in India became known as the Goans.
A quick guide to the Qurati states and their diaspora.
The least understood of the Qurati are the Arar Qurati, known in their dialect as "Kršćaani o'paskaa" or Christians of the Sand. Like all Qurati, the Arar are almost entirely Edessan Catholic, though small Nestorian and Assyrian populations exist as well. Those that converted to Islam or Hinduism are often not considered Qurati, rather are just Arabs or Perso-Arabs. The Arar are also the only group of Qurati not to have or actively engage in a quest for independence. Their population is guessed to be roughly a quarter million and they live almost solely in the Northern Border province of the Arabian Republic. There they have a special minority status along with Muslim Arabs, though are not particularly active in national politics. The Arar, to anthropologists, is really just a cover-all for any nomadic Qurat of the Near East. Their nomadic lifestyle forces some changes, but in essence they are really just like the second largest population of Qurati, the Edessans.
Edessans claim a long line of heritage back to the Crusades. They are scattered within the Federation of Syria and Iraq and in 2013 will achieve independence as Quratia now that the Federation has voted to disband. Quratia is not centered on Edessa, much to the chagrin of the Qurati. Instead they were forced to the south, centered on Ar Rutba. When the federation disbanded, provinces held referendums on which nation to join, but many provinces secured independent population transfers in order to swing the vote for a particular side. This was all over-seen by the UN and the whole plan won the four leaders of the different ethnic groups (Arabs, Persians, Kurds and Qurati) in the Federation a World Peace Prize. The city of Edessa has long been an Armenian city since the fall of the Timurid Empire, so the Edessans consolidated around their adopted capital. The Pope of Edessan Catholicism, however, is still nominally based in Edessa; despite being forced out with the incoming Timurids. For a long time, the Pope was forced to find refuge in Bahrain, though eventually was able to move to Ar Rutba after an agreement with the secular government of the Federation.
The largest populations of Qurati live on the island of Bahrain or on neighboring Qatar: the Bahraini. The Bahraini fled to the Persian Gulf during the collapse of the Edessan Empire in the XIII Century. There they settled along the southern coast, originally stretching from Basra to northern Oman. As their coast Kingdom crumbled, most of the Qurati population moved onto the island of Bahrain, causing severe over-population and food shortages. The island nation was increasingly dependent on its neighbors for food and other goods. Eventually the nation of Oman decided to collect on the growing debts of the Christian nation and invaded and occupied the island. But after years of rebellion, the Bahraini emerged free and they soon proved to hold a grudge. In the XIX Century they invaded the Kingdom of Oman, taking much of Oman's northern territories. Eventually these were sold or given back for increasing amounts of money. But the Musandam Peninsula remained in Qurati hands until the early 1960's. It was eventually returned to Omani hands after a year-long standoff in the Straits of Hormuz. It was that year that also saw the over-throw of the centuries-old absolute monarchy and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy centered on a brother of the old monarch.
The last group of Qurati and often times the easiest to forget is the Goan Qurati, centered in India. Bahraini traders flourished between the XIV and XVI Centuries. They were the major connection between Rome and Prussia and the Far East. Since both Rome and Prussia were weak naval powers, they needed an efficient way to trade with the Far East, and Bahrain was happy to provide in return for cash and support. By the end of the XV Century, the Roman Empire had fallen on hard times, losing all of Asia Minor to the Timurid Empire. The Timurids were more than happy to trade with the Prussians, and given their direct link with India, were able to do so more cheaply. By the XVI Century, Prussia had established its colonies in Mesoamerica, ridding the need for trade with the Far East. At this point the Bahraini traders fell out of need, but tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of Qurati had moved to the west coast of India to set up shop. One city, Goa, had practically been rebuilt from ruins by the Qurati and transformed into one of the largest Christian cities in the world. Today, Goa is still a hub of trade and technology and more surprisingly, is still 98% Christian. But Goa is a subject state of the Emperor of India. Despite India's recent attempts to create a functioning democracy within their theocratic monarchy, Goa and many other Indian regions are seeking their independence in an effort to rid themselves of the inefficient bureaucracy that strangles politics in the Empire of India.
The sense of realism of this update is stunning... I feel like reading an article of real life geopolotics. thanks a lot !
I agree with Gigau. Each update like this creates that much more immersion for me.
Holy Moly. That is incredible! I need to know more about this world. So many incredible stories to be told.
There is a list on the first page of eventual culture updates. And I am always open to suggestions.
This may be odd, but I am not seeing any jews so far in this scenario at all, despite the euro centric stuff. I would ask how the Jewish population is in this world.
So, maybe 10-30 thousand original settlers?
And the language kept surviving?
And why would 16th century Prussia no longer want eastern goods?
Chinese luxury goods, silk, porcelain, Indian cloth, etcetera?
In otl, Mesoamerica and the gold that was there, was just a mean to keep buying more stuff from the east. They just managed to do it with less people handling the goods on the way.
Or do you have some reasons already prepared, why Prussia would stop trading with the east?
And the language kept surviving?
And why would 16th century Prussia no longer want eastern goods?
Chinese luxury goods, silk, porcelain, Indian cloth, etcetera?
In otl, Mesoamerica and the gold that was there, was just a mean to keep buying more stuff from the east. They just managed to do it with less people handling the goods on the way.
Or do you have some reasons already prepared, why Prussia would stop trading with the east?
And I echo my thanks.
Probably some, Hindu Persians are more likely.
There are plenty of Jews, especially in Poland. There was an update that concerned Jews back in Karnak's reign. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten our Jewish friends.
About that many. The bahraini don't get conquered until the 1750s, and are free again by the 1800s, so their language was rather safe. Else where they were never made to give up their language.
Prussia didn't stop buying goods from the East, it just needed far less and had a cheaper route then by Goan traders. Prussia nearly bankrupts itself with colonization. And then has substitutes for Asian goods. Plus it can grow its own spices in Mesoamerica. What kept Prussia from trading with the Seljuks was they had slowly become antagonistic. When the Seljuks get conquered, their masters were more than happy to undercut the Qurati traders.