TLIAD Kingdom of Cumbria

As the Roman empire descended into its death throws the Romans in Britain were suddenly left abandoned. Roman forces leaving the island in the middle of the fourth century. In the century afterwards Britain would follow a path similar to many other parts of the former empire. Barbarian invasion, conquest and occupation of traditionally Roman lands followed a similar path to that of the continent.

What was unique in the British example however was the long term survival of the British in isolated portions of their lands. Namely the mountainous, hilly or impassable regions of the island where the invading Angles, Saxons and Jutes faced stiff resistance from the native Britons which in the long term stopped the Germanic invasion of the island.

Another long term effect of the halting of the German tribes in what would eventually become known as Wales would be the establishment of a number of independent Briton kingdoms along the western fringes of Britain.

One such kingdom would be Cumbria. The northern most of the various Welsh Kingdoms the area rose to prominence in the immediate post German invasion era as one of the strongest native states. Centered around Dumbarton rock, the kingdoms capital, this state resisted all efforts at conquest through the sixth, seventh, eight and ninth centuries. Facing Anglish, Saxon, Pictish, Scots and Irish attacks in the process.

With the appearance of the great heathen army into British politics in the eight hundreds and subsequent fall of most of the Germanic states to their warriors Cumbria once again faced the threat of invasion. For a time, 889-917 Cumbria would fall under the rule of Viking kings, which proclaimed the region part of the Danelaw. However a native insurrection led by the deposed king Artgal lasting from 894-917 would see Viking forces ultimately banished from the kingdom.

The region, free of Norse rule moved quickly to make peace with the Vikings around them. Achieving the remarkably long eighty years peace. Which lasted from 921-1003. During this time the kingdom faced no significant threats to its sovereignty and able to rebuild its towns, roads, army and economy. Becoming one of the most prosperous regions of Britain.

This state of peace would end in 1003 with the resurgent English making a series of raids into Cumbrian territory, alongside a return of Irish and Scot raids on the coasts and northern territory of the kingdom. However the kingdom would still be under peace, with no major armies raised or expeditions launched.

The kingdom was briefly subjugated by William the Conqueror in 1068. However an alliance with the Scottish kingdom of Alban allowed the kingdom to regain its independence in 1075 after a brief battle. The English would return in 1084 however with a further invasion that saw the region once again placed under their control. A distinctly Norman nobility replaced the old Cumbrian one, Norman keeps were built in abundance as were many roads and small towns began to spring up. However the identity of the kingdom remained.

A Scottish attempt at conquering the region in 1138 ended in disaster as the English retained control over the region. However the Cumbrians lost much of their land, food stores had been destroyed. And on top of it all the English raised their taxes. With Scottish support they launched a successful revolt in 1140-45 and took back their kingdom. Dealing a serious blow to the English outside Dumbarton castle and virtually eliminating their army.

Afterwards the Cumbrians moved quickly to secure their borders from the English, Scots and Irish. Forming a series of marriage alliances with the latter and even gaining some enclaves in Ireland itself. Putting a stop to the raids. Strong border defences were also erected along the nations borders. While a small force of some fifteen hundred soldiers were maintained by the kingdom at all times to act as a permanent and well trained fighting force.

The Cumbrian knights as they came to be called were equipped and trained at the Kings expense and served as his personal guard until their death in battle or retirement at the age of forty five. Service in this elite force was open to all but required a potential recruit to forsake all personal property or titles.

With this force at their side the kings of Cumbria managed to fight off successive invasions by the English and Scots. Developing and evolving their army as times changed. By the fourteenth century the kingdom possessed arguably the finest army in Europe and had fought off all attempts at conquest. In the meantime managing to make impressive gains in Ireland. Controlling by 1344 almost a third of the Ireland and and half the population.

A defeat by the Scots in 1413 led to the near annexation of the kingdom. However this was averted with the marriage of a Cumbrian princess to the Scottish king, Cumbria was allowed to remain independent until the death of its current king. Afterwhich Scotland would inherit the throne and bring the kingdom fully into its control.

When king Aethledfel II died in 1423 the Scots moved quickly to ensure that their control over the region was ensured. However an English army, led by Aethledfel`s son Odged crushed the scots and led to the re-established independence of the kingdom as an English vassal.

This state of affairs lasted until the English wars of the Roses. Lasting from 1455 to 1485. In 1462 Cumbria quietly declared its independence and fought off the minor English forces in the area. Quickly raising an army for itself expeditions were launched off into English territory and Ireland in an attempt to expand the borders of the kingdom. However these efforts proved mostly failures with little gains and high losses from the Cumbrian forces.

The English civil war of 1642 saw a further attempt at conquest. However like the first time this failed and led to high loss rates amongst the small, ill-trained and backwardly equipped Cumbrian army. A reform attempt was begun which lasted from 1664 until 1673. New European styles of fighting, uniform and command were introduced while Firearms and their manufacture were introduced wholesale into the Cumbrian army. A small navy was also constructed in the period.

This force saw early successes when it fought the English alongside the Dutch in the Anglo-Dutch wars of the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. William of Orange would even come to possess the throne of the nation in 1696 with the death of the last Cumbrian king Oglive IV in the same year.

Afterwards the throne would be given to Williams nephew Charles of Holland. Who reigned as Charles I of the house of Clyde. Starting a dynasty which persists in the kingdom to this day. Charles again modernized the nation and worked to make a lasting peace with the newly unified United Kingdom of England, Scotland and Wales. Ireland was also conquered during his reign, though only the north western portion of the island was under any sort of concrete Cumbrian control.

The eighteenth century would pass mostly peacefully. With the nation remaining largely neutral in the various wars which plagued Europe in the period. However the kingdom would contribute heavily to the British side during the Napoleonic wars. Trading assistance during the war for Britain remaining out of their own war in Ireland.

The final fall of Napoleon at Waterloo cemented British and Cumbrian alliance and friendship. During the Congress of Vienna in 1816 Cumbria received acknowledged control over Ireland and several other islands in the Irish sea. The two sides agreed to demilitarize their borders and pledged themselves to never again make war on one another. As a gift Cumbria received the island of Ceylon from the British as a colony off the Indian coast in addition to former French islands in the Caribbean and the Dutch Ivory and gold coast colonies.

The nation industrialized quickly following the British example and raised and impressive, if somewhat small navy of frigates and later Ironclad cruisers to police their various colonies and in the event of war assist the British RN. A 1894 naval act saw eight battleships added to the fleet. While a follow up plan in 1910 saw a further eight Dreadnought battleships ordered, though only four such ships would ever be built.

Cumbria fought alongside Britain during the first world war. Integrating their army with that of their neighbours. Their ships also worked with the British fleet to fight the Germans at Jutland. After the war they signed the Washington Naval Treaty. Being given similar tonnage to the French and Italians in Battleships and aircraft carriers.

The nation would again aide British forces in the second world war. Fighting viciously alongside their cousins until wars end. Since the end of the world wars the state has focused much of its efforts to building up its economy. Better integrating Ireland into its political structure and participating generally well in the post war international European community.

With the British withdrawal from the European Union the nations future is at somewhat of a crossroads. Either choosing to remain in their longtimme alliance with Britain, side with and remain in the European Union. Leaving the British to their own devices. Or choosing some combination of the two. Only time will tell which the nation will eventually choose.

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Map of the kingdom of Cumbria in 2016. Overseas territories not shown.
 
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