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[1] is going to be our next focus. Notice, that my conlangs for Maourtanya and ~~Tafirka~~ Afirka, are still in the process of development, so the place names may change.

Maourtanya dominates the maritime regions north of the Atlas Mountains. In the previous century, it has grown to become the regional hegemon, and Maourtanyans have converted most of the Berbers to Catholicism within their realm. The conversion to Catholicism meant close contact with the rest of the Mediterranean world, but has also fuelled resistance among the highland clans of the Berbers.

The cultural divide between the Highlands and Lowlands in Maourtanya is very strong and feels as if the two were totally different realms. In a way, they were.

[2] The Lowlands were fully Romanized by this time, with the people speaking a Latin-derived language, being Catholic, and preserving as much from Roman culture as happened possible; living in cities and the countryside being dominated by originally large plantations turned villages. Feudal bonds have developed in this region in a similar way as they did in most of the former Western Roman Empire.

The people in the highlands have a radically different lifestyle. Living in the hilly terrain, they rely on herding livestock, and are, or at least were, led by native chiefs, living in clan structures.

These differences resulted in tensions, which were not settled by political means. Rather, they resulted in a bloodbath, when the king Frimyanu

[3] was murdered along with most of his nobles in Voluviđ

[4]. They were encircled by Hillman warriors, who were summoned by conspiring Berber chiefs. The chiefs were led a certain Baga, from the Izayen tribe in the Middle Atlas. Baga declared himself king, and had the lordships of the murdered nobles seized and confiscated. This feat put the remaining Mawritan nobles on high alert, and the result was of course civil war.

The chaos generated by the civil war meant that the areas to the east of the Middle Atlas ridge reasserted its independence, becoming known as the kingdom of Késaryensi (as it corresponded geographically very much to the Province of Mauretania Caesarensis), the capital of which shifted Atlava

[5] to Fótu Diviňi

[6]. The shift of the capital to the coast means that this realm is more open to the Mediterranean world, and influences; resulting in the Catholicization of the remaining Donatist clans in the region.

Relations of the Késaryensi across the sea are very close with Constestania, which employs many Berber mercenaries.

Meanwhile, further westwards, the revolt of the Latinate nobles is successful to a degree that the Izayen clan warriors cannot siege their castles and domains, while neither can they defeat the Izayen in the mountainous terrain. Essentially, the war reaches a stalemate and while the Izayen dynasty remains on the throne, ancient rights of the cities and nobles remain untouched.

Further southeast we reach the independent regions on the southern foothills of the Atlas Mountains and plateaus, reaching further into the Teneré

[7] Desert. Given the trend of disintegration throughout Europe, why not continue in this area as well? Well, this half-desert region is likely to be divided into two, the western region has become the Holy State of Aghlan

[8].

[9] Aghlan has thus become a theocratic state, located at the very edge of the greatest hot desert in the world, and has become a centre of education and science within the berber world, focusing on predominantly astronomy and mathematics.

The second country further east is the Duchy of Tuggurt, also located in the semi-desert region. These semi-desert regions were the last vestiges of Donatism, a Christian denomination, that used to encompass much of the Tamazghan region; by this time, its last believers have been reduced to a rump community at the very edge of the Teneré desert. True, there were vibrant and flourishing communities to the south of the desert, such Songhay and Wagadou.

The currents currently present within the Donatist thought, building on the tradition of the infamous Kirkumkellions

[10], who used to harass travellors on the road and actually sought to get killed. In modern eyes, we can see them as the first suicide-terrorists. This tradition was of course rationalized, and given the harsh climate and scarcity of resources, as well as the Berber clan structure, what has happened is that we can witness a new phenomenon : warrior monks. These warrior monks are trained to excel in all forms of combat possible in this forbidding climate: to be brilliant riders on camels and on horse, to be perfect archers and dagger holder. Throughout Tuggurt and Aghlan, and into Fasania, they have built a network of monasteries. The sole duty of these men is to fight, and with nothing to lose, they fight with fanatical zeal. An important teaching that developed in the school of Aghlan is that no one is permitted to decide and choose his day of martyrdom.

The Donatists saw themselves as fully righteous, and were looking down on Carthage, as the place of decandence and consummery.

Further northwest, we arrive into Afirka, the coastal regions around Carthage, but also extending westwards, to incorporate also historical Numigia. Afirka has developed is seen a continuation of Italy further southwards, and Afirkans are greatly engaged in Mediterranean trade. Especially prosperous were the cities of Carthage and Adurmetum

[11], which were free cities without any form of feudal overlordship. The wish for profit drove also Afirkans to reconquer lost Tirfwitanya

[12] from the Berbers, as this is the end station of the Trans-Tenerean trade network. This resulted in an invasion of the area and the conquest of the coastal regions, to gain control of the trade routes. The areas further inland were pretty much left alone, and rather were used as a nice buffer zone.

Religion is not a primary issue for the Afirkans. More important than how you pray, is whether you can make profit. This has become a cornerstone in Afirkan policies when dealing with their neighbours and subjects. Therefore, Donatist bishops and priests are allowed to operate within Afirkan territory, given that they follow the law and do not cause public trouble. This was of primary concern, as it had to do with the evolution of Donatist thought in the broader region.

Afirkans also control the Balearic Islands and southern Sardinia. Unfortunately for them, they have lost the island of Sicily to the Rhomaic Empire. Nevertheless, Afirkans have also conquered the small border town of Syrte, on the border with Cyrenaica. Its continued independence would present a problem due to possible smuggling, and therefore had to be brought under control.

Syrte is possibly the last place where Punic language is spoken. While the place was garrisoned with Afirkan troops, life in the city continues as before, yet the town becomes more and more a backwater.

[1] Tamazgha, the Berber word for Maghreb

[2] You can think of the who Highland-Lowland divide in a similar manner as in Scotland

[3] One of the Latin names (Primianus?) for which I do have reocrded sound changes.

[4] Volubilis, according to our sound changes.

[5] Altava

[6] Portus Divini, at the location of present-day Oran.

[7] Teneré is the Berber name of the desert. Given the region is not populated by Aras, the name Sahara is not going to be used as its name.

[8] Mozabite name for the M´zab Oasis

[9] Given that Mzab is a theocracy in EU4, why not it become such in ATL?

[10] The Circumcellions were devout Donatists who were looking forward to martyrdom, seeing it as the most important feat one can do.

[11] Hadrumetum, modern Sousse

[12] Previously spellt Tibwitanya. This appears to be a more realistic outcome of sound changes. Actually, the soudn changes ought to result in Tirfowitanya, but ommitting the „o“ between the „f“ a „w“ is more than likely