March of Albern

Summary
The March of Albern is a semi-autonomous client state of the Samsonite Empire, from 1161 until its dissolution in 1744. The title was created by Kaiser Konrad Samsonling V of Samsonia to reward the Friedensbringer Knights who had fought valiantly in the 1st Inquisition against the Lycurgist cult in 1157. Granted to Hochmeister Cristoph von Rotenwald, the March of Albern was granted a special status compared to the other subrealms of the Empire. The Friedensbringer Order was guaranteed the protections as any other state, but they were allowed self-governance, and would not have to pay tribute to the Kaiser as long as they continued to defend the Western frontiers of the Empire and come to the Kaiser's aid in military conflicts.

Naming & Demonyms
The Nation's name likely derives from ancient Aurelian maps of the region, which referred to the region as "Alba Montibus." The region is dominated by the end of the Elgen Mountains, and has particularly ferocious winters, even compared to Samsonia proper. Most of the country is dominated by pine forests, except for the nation's western "tail," which is covered in wheat fields.

History
The March was founded primarily to serve as a buffer zone between Samsonia and the West Outlands, rather than Lycurgia proper. Kaiser Konrad V wanted to have a highly-militarised vassal bordering the tribal peoples to prevent them from raiding the Empire if another religious war broke out. Officially, the March was given to Cristoph von Rotenwald in recognition of his capture of the city of Lycurgia with a force only two-thirds the size of the Lycurgan garrison. The capture of the Lycurgan holy city brought the first Inquisition to an end, and the Friedensbringer Knights proved to be a valuable asset to the Empire. Particularly, their loyalty to the Kaiser and their dedication to minimising destruction and maintaining order in conquered regions proved to be highly attractive to Konrad V, who had experienced the consequence of employing more militant orders like the Knights of Salztettin.

The Friedensbringer Knights opted to maintain the Succession tribunal which had existed since their foundation and ensured an elective succession within the March. This consequently resulted in a significantly more stable history for the nation, leaving them unscathed following the various noble revolts and Imperial Crises of the 15th and 16th centuries. The March remained mostly docile, acting as a defender of the faith rather than a proselytising force. They also famously refused to enter the service of Kaiser Samson X on numerous occasions throughout his reign, even denouncing him for his violent abuse of conquered peoples in the East Outlands and his preference for eradicating heathens rather than converting them.

This act ultimately prevented Samson X from wholly eradicating the East Outlander population in the Empire, and resulted in Albern becoming a popular safe haven for persecuted groups all across Elgenea. In 1544, Kaiser Frederick I sought to have Albern re-integrated into the Empire, stating that their refusal to serve Samson X was a breach of their contract. The Friedensbringer Order refused to surrender their holdings to the Kaiser, stating that their allegiance was to "God First, then the Kaiser." This very nearly resulted in an invasion of Albern, but was stopped by an outcry of support from Samsonia's own local nobility. This event marked the beginning of Albern's withdrawal from the Empire, a process which wouldn't be complete until 1729, when Albern bought its independence from Kaiser Samson XIII.

In 1740, the Friedensbringer Order had officially dissolved, having existed only in title for nearly 80 years. The nation's prominent citizens began meeting to discuss reorganising the government, eventually opting for a model similar to the Esloran Republic. In 1744, the March of Albern officially became the Albern Republic, governed by a Senate representing it's 6 States and the Capital of Schwarzburg.