Kingdom of Brendania

This story is part of the Guardians of the Crown Jewels gameplay experience.

You should read it from the main website.

– – –

Kingdom of Brendania
Constitutional monarchy – Also known as Brendan’s Island.

Located on the western mouth of the English Channel, between Brest and Plymouth, Brendan’s Island remained untouched until Emperor Claudius’s conquest of Britain.

Of a size and shape similar to Puerto Rico, it was initially considered a part of Armorica under the Roman Empire. However, it finally joined Britanny through its unification under Duke Nominoe, in the middle of the 9th century.

Strangely, it reverted its course of action and became once again an independent territory during the 16th century, while the remainder of Brittany integrated into France. The English Crown, which was not about to tolerate such encroachment near their borders, had provided the financial and political support which led to the establishment of the fledgling Brendanian monarchy.

This peculiar hammer and anvil situation was to be sustained for many centuries, though the long coastal cliffs of the small kingdom, even taller than the ones found in Ireland, prevented outright invasion by either belligerent.

Still, Brendania largely profited from the various conflicts between the powerful European rivals; its geographical characteristics made it a natural buffer zone where embargoes could not be enforced. Thus, while piracy was never tolerated, smugglers were rarely disturbed on the island, as long as they paid their dues to the local government.

Emerging bruised yet unbroken from the troubled times of the 20th century, the country is now ruled under a parliamentary system. The royal family of Brendania, overwhelmingly popular in spite of sporadic scandals, still yield considerable authority, though. This is mostly due to their deep involvement within the financial institutions of the state, whose influence extends well beyond the borders of the small nation.

Economy of Brendania
Known as a trading nation since the medieval times, Brendania profited deeply from commercial exchanges with its neighbors, which sustained the construction of impressive fortifications that are still standing today.

Furthermore, threats of blockades by both the French and English empires were never properly enforced, for fear it would push its citizens into the arms of the enemy. Thus, the nation gained popularity as a safe harbor for those who sought to escape political or religious persecutions, which in turn supported the parallel development of its secretive monetary system.

Now known as a tax haven, Brendania’s economy majorly depends upon its status as one of the foremost hubs of global finance. Despite constant pressure by international organizations, mainly led by the United States and European powers, bank confidentiality laws of the country were barely modified over the years, though strict controls have been established to prevent the funding of terrorist groups.