Chapter Text
Sketch of Illyria, from Baedeker's Guide to Central Europe, 1850
Illyria- A narrow country with one end in the Tyrolean Alps and one end on the Adriatic, bordered to the west by the Venetia and to the east by the Austrian Empire and the Dalmatian Coast.
Once a Roman province, the native Illyrian language is a dialect of Slovene, although this has largely been supplanted in commercial and cultural life by Italian. There are pockets of people who speak Austrian German and various Slavic languages (Yiddish, Croatian, and Serbian being the most common) The upper classes speak French and German, and many of the merchant marine speak some English as well.
Never fully integrated into the Holy Roman Empire and never much beset by Reformation troubles, the country also escaped the recent revolutionary fervor. Illyrian forces assisted in the defense of Vienna against the Turks, but the country's history has otherwise been largely peaceful and only a small army and navy are maintained. The country remained autonomous during the first French Empire only by cutting a costly deal with Napoleon, including supplying his army for the war against Austria. (Austria has not forgotten this.)
As part of the pact with Napoleon, Illyria joined the Continental system in 1815, becoming a constitutional monarchy. Its current constitution and laws remain based around the Napoleonic Code. The ruler is a King, his wife is Queen; the heir and his wife are styled Archduke and Archduchess; the other children and their spouses are styled Grand Duke and Grand Duchess.
The capital city, Aquileia, is located at the foot of the Alps, and has a university, botanic gardens, zoologic park, cathedral, parliament building, and the palace of Aqua Brava, which has been the main official royal residence since the sixteenth century.
The second city, both in size, population, and importance, is Port Angelo, on the Adriatic coast. Its main focus is on international trade. Some Moorish (or perhaps Venetian) influence may be observed in its architecture.
The currency is the corona (pl. corone) and florint. 100 florints = 1 corona.