Salisford

Kingdom of Salisford Regno di Salforto
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Gloria!" Jackian: "Glory!"
Anthem: Inno Reale ("Royal Anthem")
Location of Salisford (dark green) – in Sur (light green & dark grey) – in CODECO (light green)
Capital and largest city	Savotta
Official languages	Salisfordian
Ethnic groups	71% Savottans 27% Sabotans 2% Other
Religion	Salforti Catholic (official and dominant)
Demonym(s)	Salisfordian
Government	Hereditary Monarchy/Semi-Democracy Monarchy (Male-preference Primogeniture)
• Monarch	Francesco II
• Heir Apparent	Carlo Valenza
• Duce and First Minister	Pietro Govone
Legislature	Parliament
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	Grand Council
History
• Sack of Savotta	1350 AD
• Unification of the Savottan Kingdom	1401 AD
• Establishment of the Salisfordian Republic	1790 AD
• Salisfordian Counter-Revolution	1794 AD
• New Salisfordian Kingdom	1800 AD
• March on Savotta	1950 AD
• Salisfordian Civil War	1969 AD
Area
• Total	1,247,280 sq mi (3,230,400 km2)
Population
• 2023 estimate	90,782,300
• Density	72.78/sq mi (28.1/km2)
GDP (nominal)	2019 estimate
• Total	₵2.917 Trillion QSC
• Per capita	₵32,138 QSC
Gini (2019)	36.2 medium
HDI (2019)	0.824 very high
Currency	Salisfordian Lira (₤) (SFL)
Time zone	AMT-5, -6
Driving side	right
Calling code	+8
Internet TLD	.sf

Salisford, officially the Kingdom of Salisford (Salisfordian: Salforto) is a Medium sized nation on the Southern landmass of Terraconserva. It is bordered to the south by Creeperopolis and El Salvador, to the east by El Salvador and Montcrabe, and to the north and west by ocean. Salisford's capital city is Savotta. Due to its geographical position, Salisford has been historically influenced by both the Creeperans to the south and the Iberics and Arabs to the north.

Salisford has been inhabited since the late Bronze Age by pre-Egittan peoples. In classical antiquity, Iberics from the southern coast of Ecros established city-states and trading posts on the northern and western coasts of Salisford. Although these city states had similar cultures, they remained separate until a conflict with the peoples native to the interior of the country forced the city-states to form a confederation to protect themselves. Under the leadership of Alexandros the Great, the Egittans were able to defeat the interior tribes and formed the Egittan Republic which later expanded further into the interior of Sur. Wealthy and powerful, the Egittan Republic became a major merchantile empire until it was defeated in conflicts with the nascent Romanyan Republic and then occupied. The Romanyans successfully colonized the former Egittan lands, now called "Savotta", and assimilated the rich cities of the northern coast. The Romanyans introduced Christianity and soon Savotta became an integral part of the Empire, rivaling the Romanyan homeland itself.

In 284 AD, in order to simplify rule, the Romanyan Emperor Diocletian separated the Romanyan holdings on Sur, principally Savotta, off from the northern holdings of the Empire. This began a two-century long trend of partial or full Savottan self-rule over their own land and the surrounding provinces on Sur, which culminated with the final division of the Empire into north and south in 495 by the emperor Theodosius I. The southern empire, commonly referred to as the Savottan Empire, ruled over the lands of the Romanyans in tandem with the northern empire until the north's final fall in 680 AD, which left the south as the sole inheritor of the imperial purple. The Savottans would rule over the wealthy former Romanyan provinces of Sur, and occasionally reclaimed territory in South Ecros, until the disintegration of imperial authority in 1350 in the wake of the Sack of Savotta. The former Savottan provinces would fight amongst themselves until the capable Duke of Valenza reuntied the western territories of Savotta in the middle ages and declared the formation of the Kingdom of Salisford (the east becoming what is now Montcrabe).

The Kingdom of Salisford would endure with little major trouble until the late 18th century, where the tumultuous reign of king Cesario VI led to a violent revolution which overthrew the monarchy and established an abortive republic in its place. The republican government soon became unpopular, corrupt, and tyrannical, and chafed the Salisfordian people greatly by launching numerous wars against Salisford's neighbors. This led to a short counter-revolution which re-established the monarchy under Cesario's son, king Carlo I. This led to a period of peace and reorganization under the following Salisfordian kings, who wished to avoid another revolution. This trend continued until the early 20th century.

In 1950, following the controversial rule of one of Salisford's monarchs, an ambitious general named Sandro Neri lead a brief, and mostly bloodless, coup against the monarchy. This led to the entrenchment of Neri's own party, the Catholic Labor Front in political power and the start of a de-facto one party state.

In the following years and decades, the Kingdom would prosper and would slowly become one of the richest countries on the continent. Salisford would go on to be a founding member of the Terraconserva Council of Nations and CODECO.

History

Neolithic civilization

Main article: Pre-Egittan Salisford

Salisfordian lands were originally home to nomadic tribes in the central plain as well as small hunter-gatherer societies in the highlands.

Iberic settlement

Iberics from the north colonized sites in northern Salisford in order to facilitate trade along the southern coasts of the Alzanub sea and with the local tribes. These Iberics organized themselves in fiercely independent city-states which competed with each other. These colonies were often founded in safe harbors and other favorable positions for trade. While, originally, these city states were often tributaries or dependencies of states in the north, over time most broke ties with their mainland overlords and gained independence.

Of all of the cities founded, the most important was the city of Botrys, which later became the city of Alessandria. This site was chosen because of its advantageous position for trading which allowed it easy contact and commerce with the developed southern Ecrosian coast and the tribes to its south.

Development of Classical Egitta

Main article: Classical Egitta

Over time, the Iberic city states, now independent from any Ecrosian overlords, began to develop their own culture and society which diverged from the mainland. This cultural development would be spurred on by the relative prosperity of the colonies and their contact with the local tribal cultures as well as others from around the Alzanub sea. The name Egitta came to be recognized as the name of the general area which all of these city states were located.

Because of the favorable climate, arable land, and lucrative trade routes the Egittan city states developed quickly and began to expand, founding even more colonies along the southern coast and expanding deeper inland from the coast. This also allowed them to attain a level of prosperity which surpassed most of their neighbors, and this resulted in a cultural boom which was expressed in literature, philosophy, and mathematics.

The city of Botrys became a leading city in this Egittan development, although founded relatively recently compared to some other Egittan cities, its favorable position allowed it to become a center of prosperity and culture, and soon became the most populous of the Egittan cities.

Formation of the Egittan Republic

Main article: Egittan Republic

The Battle of Donisia

In the year 601 BC, a trade dispute between the Egittan city state of Botrys and a tribe to the south escalated into a physical confrontation. An alliance of southern tribes, having been previously annoyed and frustrated by the presence of the Egittans and by the promise of the spoils of the city, formed and they began to move against the Botryan forces. The Botryans, faced with by the threat of a sack and possible destruction at the hands of the tribesmen, called upon an alliance of their own which they had with other Egittan city states. Both alliances would form their own armies, made up of levies and soldiers from their respective alliance members.

For the first few stages of the conflict, the tribesmen and the Egittans refused to meet in open battle. A few skirmishes had occured, and they routinely harassed their other's foragers or scouts, but whenever one attempted to force a pitched battle, the other withdrew. This continued for a while, with both armies shadowing the other.

This changed in the spring of 600, at the Battle of Donisia, where the tribesmen laid siege to a small inland village which served as an outpost for one of the Egittan states. Worried about the loss of Donisia, the commanding generals of the Egittan force decided to attempt to relieve the village. The battle was disastrous for the Egittans, as the tribesmen were able to sneak a force around the opposing lines and flank them from behind, leading to a general rout and a loss of about a quarter of the Egittan force. Donosia later surrendered to the tribesmen.

The loss was a serious blow to the Egittan alliance, their forces having been practically scattered in the first real battle of the war. Some of the Egittan city-states even suggested coming to terms with the tribesmen.

Romanyan period

Main article: Savotta (Romanyan province)

Christianization

Main article: Christianization of Savotta

Savottan Empire

Main article: Savottan Empire

A piece depicting diplomacy between the Deltinian Caliph (left) and the Savottan Emperor (right).

The Romanyan Empire in the south, following the fall of the Empire in the north in the 7th century, is conventionally known as the Savottan Empire and lasted until 1350. With its capital in Savotta, its language and culture were Iberic and its religion was predominantly Savottan Christian.

Surviving the waves of unrest and muslim invasions which had caused the Empire in the north to fall, the Justinid dynasty attempted to restore and rebuild what they could of the empire. Through the capable rule of Justinius I, the Savottan Empire restored the integrity of its borders and reclaimed the Southern coast of modern Andaluzia and the city of Romanya. Despite his best attempts, Justinius had not been able to push much further, and the Savottan reconquest was stopped dead in its tracks by resistance from the Muslim Caliphates.

Forced onto the defensive by the Deltinians to the south, Savottan power in southern Ecros slowly whittled away through Muslim incursions and unrest in the native populations (who began to no longer see themselves as Romanyans).

In the early 9th Century, the Savottans were forced out of their Ecrosian holdings.

Forced onto the defensive, the Empire would remain on Sur until its demise.

In 1231, a Creeperian Emir started a minor religious rebellion against the powerful Deltinian Caliph. Despite its original small character, the conflict eventually expanded into a massive Creeperian Crusade which eventually consumed a majority of Sur. Seizing the opportunity to speed along the destruction of a powerful rival, the Savottan Emperors supported the Creeperian caused with money and manpower.

Following the Crusade's successful conclusion in 1345, the Savottan Emperor Constantinius XI sought to use former Creeperian and Castillianan troops as mercenaries to assist in a new reclaimation of Ecros. However, in 1350, a dispute over pay led the Castillianan mercenaries which were garrisoned in the city to mutiny, and were soon joined by other mercenaries and disgruntled soldiers. The Sack of Savotta resulted in the deaths of the imperial family, many senators and prominent statesmen, and the destruction of much of the city. Paralyzed by the loss of many of its leading politicians and bureaucrats, the Savottan imperial administration dissolved, central authority collaped, and provincial governors declared themselves as independent rulers.

Rinascimento

Main article: Salisfordian Rinascimento

Anni Pacifici

Serino during the mid 1800s.

Following the acension of Carlo I and the restoration of the monarchy, Salisford saw a period of great internal stability despite the rapidly advancing pace of society and technology. Named the "Anni Pacifici" ("Peaceful Years") by historians, the era was defined by a restrained and conservative attitude on the part of the Royal government.

Great Surian War

Main article: Great Surian War

Nerist regime

A slogan painting on a wall dating from the Nerist period.

In 1945, King Francesco I died of lung cancer, ending his relatively conservative reign in Salisford. His eldest daughter, Maria, succeeded him as Queen Maria III. During the first years of her reign, Maria III established herself a reputation of being liberal-minded monarch, seeking to reform Salisford's traditional institutions in favor of new ones which she perceived to be more modern and democratic. To aid her, she offered amnesty to a previously-exiled academic, Giacomo Ottone, and appointed him as her first minister. Together, Maria III and Ottone attempted to transform Salisford into what they described as "a modern country worthy of Ecros."

This push by Maria III and her supporters was not welcomed by many parts of Salisfordian society, and unrest spread quickly as heavy-handed reforms were forced onto the populace by the royal administration. In response, many groups and informal political parties formed to oppose Maria III. One of these was the Fronte Cattolico. Despite originally being a veritable kaleidoscope of differing ideologies and schools of thought, the Fronte was soon dominated by the personage of the general Sandro Neri who began to align it with his own beliefs. Popular with veterans, reformers, and the average citizen, Neri became a powerful figure in Salisfordian politics almost immediately, and many joined his party.

HAving become uncomfortable with the power and rhetoric of the Fronte Cattolico, Maria III attempted to dissolve and ban the party in October of 1950. Unwilling to allow this to happen, Neri, his army, and his supporters began a march towards the capitol of Savotta. On November 1st they entered Savotta and occupied the city centers with paramilitaries, and after two long days of standoffs with pro-Monarchy forces, Maria III ceded political power to Neri and named him First Minister.

Having attained unchecked political power, Neri restricted the power of other political parties, reformed his own party into the modern Catholic Labor Front, and, in turn, empowered his own party, forming the basis of a dictatorship, and, soon after, a cult of personality. The Front began to take on a character of Salisfordian nationalism, revanchism, and futurism, promising the return of age-old Savottan and Romanyan territory while also modernizing and improving the Salisfordian economy and political system.

Le Cinque Battaglie, or "The Five Battles", were the first monumental reform programs undertaken by Neri's Salisford. Mainly focusing on addressing Salisford's economic woes, it intended to modernize Salisfordian agriculture, industry, the Salisfordian lira, the birthrate, and land ownership. This reform program alienated many of his more traditional supporters, especially the nobility, who were actively harmed by his policies of land reform. Despite this, the program as a whole allowed Salisford to develop its independent industrial and agricultural base substantially and made Neri wildly popular with the common people of Salisford.

In 1961, invigorated by a wave of popular support, Neri ordered the launch of an incursion across the Rubicon River into Creeperopolis with the intention of seizing northern San Pablo, beginning the Rubicon War. Despite initial success, the war would soon devolve into a stalemate.

Politics

Government

Main article: Government of Salisford

Salisford is theoretically a hereditary monarchy with democratic elements. Executive power belongs to the monarch, who exercises his power through appointed ministers. The legislative branch is a bicameral parliament which consists of an appointed Senate and an elected Grand Council. The Kingdom's written constitution is the Statuto dello Stato. Representatives to the Grand Council are elected through proportional representation by large multi-seat constituencies for four-year terms. There are no term limits, but there is a mandatory retirement age of 70 for elected officials. Senators, by contrast, are appointed by the Monarch and his First Minister. The Senate is meant to represent traditional power bases of the Kingdom, such as the Church and the Nobility, but many Senators are appointed because of their experience or excellence in certain economic fields, examples include: heavy industry, electronics, and agriculture. They are appointed for 8-year terms and have a mandatory retirement age of 75. Together, the Grand Council and the Senate make up the Royal Parliament of Salisford and are responsible for all legislative duties. The two houses have equal powers, and any legislation must be approved by both houses before it becomes law. The Monarch is an honorary non-voting member of both the Grand Council and the Senate.

The First Minister is an executive position who is selected by both houses and has the power to approve and veto legislation. He serves as the Monarch's primary minister, and any candidates must be approved of by the Monarch before they can assume the position.

De Facto, following Sandro Neri's March on Savotta in 1950, Salisford has been a one-party dictatorship ruled by the ideologically enigmatic Catholic Labor Front (abbreviated as the FdLC). The FdLC is the only party legally allowed to hold a majority in both the Senate and the Grand Council. The other parties which stand for election have been described as a puppet opposition by international observers who support special interest policies and legislation which do not fit into the party mainstream. Ever since Sandro Neri's reign, the title of Chairman of the Catholic Labor Front, the leader of the party, has been the most influential in Salisfordian politics and government. The title of Chairman also comes with the honorary title of Duce. The current Duce, Chairman of the Catholic Labor Front, and First Minister is Pietro Govone.

The FdLC is officially guided by "the tenets of Nerism–Matterism", which is a loosely-defined right-wing fascist ideological doctrine extrapolated by the writings, beliefs, and actions of the party's first and second Chairmans, Sandro Neri and Teodoro Mattera.

Law and Criminal Justice

Main article: Law of Salisford

The Salisfordian legal system is based on Romanyan Law and traditional feudal systems. The Royal Court, headed by the Salisfordian monarch, is the highest court in Salisford. Every Salisfordian citizen has the right to appeal any lower court decisions with the Royal Court.

Since their formation after the Salisfordian Revolution, the Masnada has infiltrated social and economic life in some regions of Salisford.

Law Enforcement

Main article: Law Enforcement in Salisford

Law Enforcement in Salisford is the responsibility of two organizations. The Polizia Reale (Royal Police) and the Corpo della Gendarmeria Reale (Royal Gendarmerie Corps). The Polizia Reale is a civilian police agency supervized by the Ministry of Justice, whereas the Gendarmeria Reale is a gendarmerie supervized by the Ministry of Defence. Although policing is provided on a national basis, there also exists municipal and provincial police forces.

Administrative divisions

Main article: Regions of Salisford

The Kingdom of Salisford is constitutionally a unitary state officially divided into 10 regions (Salisfordian: regioni) for administrative purposes. Each region contains a various number of prefectures.

#	Flag	Region	Capital	Largest City	Area (mi2)	Population (2019)
1		Castellaro	?	?	?	?
2		Egitta	Alessandria	Alessandria	?	?
3		Egitta	?	?	?	?
4		Marcia	?	?	?	?
5		Marcia	?	?	?	?
6		Reggo	?	?	?	?
7		San Paolo	San Paolo	?	?	?
8		San Tiberio	?	?	?	?
9		Savotta	Savotta	Savotta	?	?
10		Terrano	Dimizia	?	?	?
-		Salforto	Savotta	Savotta	?	74,200,000

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign Relations of Salisford

Salisford's sovereignty is recognized by the TCN. Salisford maintains diplomatic missions and consulates abroad with almost every TCN recognized nation.

Salisford is a founding member of both the TCN, the CODECO, and JASAREPA.

Much of Salisford's current foreign policy is based on Chairman Sandro Neri's concept of "harmony without uniformity", which encourages diplomatic relations between states despite ideological differences. This policy may have led China to support or maintain close ties with states that are regarded as dangerous or repressive by Northern nations.

Territorial disputes

Salisford has a disputed land border with the semi-recognized state of Noundures.

Topography

Main article: Topography of Salisford

Salisford is dominated by coastal highlands and an interior plain.

• 

  A lagoon off the coast of Salisford.

• 

  The southwestern coastline of Salisford is dominated by steep cliffs. Over time, the local population has terraced these cliffs for agriculture.

• 

  Because of warm ocean currents, the northern parts of Salisford are subject to hot summers that sometimes create a semi-arid environment.

Climate

Main article: Climate of Salisford

Salisford’s climate varies with elevation and region. However, generally, Salisford’s temperature varies between 45° F and 66° F. The coldest periods of Salisford occur in July and August, and the hottest in December and January. In the Salisfordian interior plain, the average annual temperature is 55° F; in San Tiberio it is about 64° F; and in the northern coastline it averages at 57 ° F. The climate of Salisford is described as Mediterranean, with cool, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. However, due to its position on the windward side of the Altari mountains, Salisford sees a large amount of rainfall, especially on its northern coast.

Climate data for Salisford (Savotta) 1980-2020, extreme 1980-present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	102.2 (39.0)	100.3 (37.9)	98.2 (36.8)	88.7 (31.5)	79.5 (26.4)	77.2 (25.1)	71.1 (21.7)	72.7 (22.6)	83.6 (28.7)	82.5 (28.1)	93.7 (34.3)	98.3 (36.8)	102.2 (39.0)
Average high °F (°C)	75.2 (24.0)	78.6 (25.9)	70.4 (21.3)	63.3 (17.4)	53.1 (11.7)	57.2 (14.0)	45.0 (7.2)	45.3 (7.4)	50.1 (10.1)	53.6 (12.0)	63.2 (17.3)	69.5 (20.8)	78.6 (25.9)
Daily mean °F (°C)	65.3 (18.5)	67.1 (19.5)	60.6 (15.9)	53.3 (11.8)	55.2 (12.9)	39.8 (4.3)	37.9 (3.3)	37.8 (3.2)	42.8 (6.0)	45.5 (7.5)	54.2 (12.3)	60.1 (15.6)	67.1 (19.5)
Average low °F (°C)	53.3 (11.8)	56.2 (13.4)	51.2 (10.7)	42.6 (5.9)	44.7 (7.1)	30.5 (−0.8)	31.5 (−0.3)	32.4 (0.2)	33.2 (0.7)	35.3 (1.8)	45.7 (7.6)	51.9 (11.1)	56.2 (13.4)
Record low °F (°C)	41.0 (5.0)	44.1 (6.7)	40.4 (4.7)	30.2 (−1.0)	32.5 (0.3)	21.3 (−5.9)	20.2 (−6.6)	23.5 (−4.7)	21.6 (−5.8)	24.2 (−4.3)	36.8 (2.7)	42.4 (5.8)	44.1 (6.7)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	1.21 (31)	1.32 (34)	3.56 (90)	5.33 (135)	5.97 (152)	4.42 (112)	3.68 (93)	3.72 (94)	3.01 (76)	3.87 (98)	2.38 (60)	1.33 (34)	5.95 (151)
Source: Ministero Meteorologico Reale (MMR)

Economy

Main article: Economy of Salisford

The Salisfordian economy is industrialized and has strong economic bases in the fields of manufacturing, engineering, and tourism. However, a large part of the Salisfordian economy is also based in agriculture. Notable Salisfordian corporations include CRI, Aerobus, Beretta, and Berti

Exports

Salisford's primary exports are: oil and lubricants, luxury goods, clothing, machinery, consumer electronics, wine, and automobiles.

Agriculture

Salisford is a major producer of grains, fruits, and vegetables. Most notably: wheat, barley, olives, tomatoes, grapes, citrus, and garlic.

Infrastructure

Main article: Infrastructure in Salisford

Savotta Metro.

Rail line leading to Alessandria.

Infrastructure is one of the Salisfordian government's main priorities, with the government spending a large amount of money on the maintenance of Salisford's domestic infrastructure.

Roads

Road passenger and freight transport expanded rapidly during the Neri years as private ownership of automobiles increased considerably along with the quality and extent of roadways. The Neri administration championed the increase of quality-of-life for the average citizen, and invested massively in expansion of infrastructure throughout Salisford, roadways included. These policies were later continued by the Mattera and Luzzi administrations.

Railroads

Railroads have been one of the most important means of transportation in Salisford since their introduction in the 19th century. Successive Salisfordian monarchs invested heavily into the building and expansion of railways, and, because of this, railways now form the arteries which allow the functioning of the industrial heartlands of Salisford. Ferrovia Nazionale Salfortana (FNS, Salisfordian National Rail), is a state majority owned company responsible for the operation and maintenance of Salisford's most important railways.

Water Transportation

Historically, maritime transportation has always played a major role in the Salisfordian economy dating back to its original settlement by sea-bound Iberics. Maritime traffic provides crucial connections to foreign markets, and allows the transport of shipments too large to be sent via rail. The Salisfordian maritime industry is mature and developed, and its merchant fleet is made up mainly of bulk carriers, oil or petroleum tankers, vehicle/cargo carriers, and refrigerated carriers.

Salisford's major sea ports are Alessandria, Savotta, and San Paolo.

Air Transportation

Air transportation makes up only a small percentage of total Salisfordian passenger and freight traffic, far overshadowed by land and maritime traffic. Despite this, most major Salisfordian cities do maintain airports capable of handling commercial traffic, and the state-supported flag carrier AeroSalforto provides service to and from major destinations.

Major Salisfordian air destinations are Alessandria, San Paolo, San Tiberio (seasonal), Savotta, and Serino.

Pipelines

Pipelines play a crucial role in Salisford's economy, both in distributing fuel to domestic consumers and in supply exports to Ecros, Sur, and CODECO partners. Salisford's complex network connects production regions with virtually all centers of population and industry. Pipelines are especially important because of the long distances between CRI's oil and gas fields, industrial centers, and Salisford's trading partners to the north and south. Most important is the Bicada Pipeline which connects Salisfordian refineries to Ecrosian gas fields and consumers.

Energy

Energy in Salisford is mainly provided by the use of petroleum (mainly in transportation), natural gas (for heating and electric energy production), coal, and renewable resources. Production of electricity in Salisford mostly comes from the use of natural gas, however, in recent years efforts have been made to promote the use of renewable energy such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric to reduce Salisford's dependence on natural gas.

Hydroelectric power is an important contributor to Salisfordian power generation, with about 21% of the country's power being produced from hydroelectric stations built on Salisfordian rivers.

Science and technology

Main article: Science in Salisford

Tourism

Main article: Tourism in Salisford

Tourism is a major sector of the Salisfordian economy.

Military

Salisfordian Fusiliers, during a military exercise.

File:1st Carabinieri Paratroopers Regiment "Tuscania"

Salisfordian soldiers on parade.

The government of Salisford has control over a large number of military and paramilitary organisations through various ministries. Chief among these is the Ministry of War. Salisford's military is one of the most advanced and largest militaries on Sur, only dwarfed by the Creeperian Military. Defining what is a military force and what is not is a matter of some dispute.

Royal Salisfordian Armed Forces

Main article: Royal Salisfordian Armed Forces

The Royal Salisfordian Armed Forces is the largest military organization in Salisford. Descending from the Royal Military of the 18th and 19th Centuries, which in turn date back to the Middle Ages, it is one of the oldest professional standing military forces in the world. A primarily all-volunteer force, the Royal Armed Forces have occasionally been bolstered by conscripts who are drafted for eighteen-month periods. The Royal Salisfordian Armed Forces consist of the following branches:

• Royal Salisfordian Army
• Royal Salisfordian Navy
• Royal Salisfordian Air Force
• Royal Gendarmerie Corps

Polizia Speciale

Main article: Special Police (Salisford)

The Ministry of the Interior maintains its own public order barracked reserve, known as the Polizia Speciale ("Special Police"). These units are equipped as motorized infantry and number around 50,000. They are a rapid deployment internal security force.

SISM

Main article: SISM

The Military Intelligence and Security Service (SISM) includes the Teodoro Mattera Guard Regiment, which is mainly involved with facilities security and plain clothes event security. The regiment numbers around 12,000 men. The SISM also includes multiple special forces units, such as Squadron F, but the exact number of members is not public.

Black Brigades

Main article: Black Brigades

The Brigate Nere ("Black Brigades"), officially called the Corpo Ausiliario delle Squadre di Pubblica Sicurezza ("Auxiliary Corps of Public Security Squads"), are organized both into standing and into territorial units on the regional level. The Black Brigades are a political-military instrument of the FdLC; essentially a "party army". They are serve as a paramilitary, auxiliary police, gendarmerie, and anti-guerilla force. All Black Brigade directives and decisions are made by the party, and membership in the FdLC is a requirement for joining. They receive their training and equipment from the Armed Forces and the Police.

National Defense Militia

The Milizia di Defensa Nazionale (MDN) is a national militia controlled by the Ministry of War. A reserve force, it is estimated to number around 500,000 men. It can be called up in times of emergency to defend the country, but units are usually called up to respond to natural disasters or humanitarian efforts.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Salisford

Religion

Religious identification in Salisford (2017)

  Salforti Catholic (80%)

  Muslim (17.2%)

  Creeperian Catholic (2.3%)

  Other (0.5%)

Salisford has established the Salforti Rite of the Catholic Church as its official religion. The Church plays a major role in Salisfordian day-to-day life. The exact role the Church plays has varied throughout history, depending on the era and the current monarch. But, despite some hostile administrations, the Church has remained an important cornerstone of Salisfordian culture. In a 2017 study, the Salisfordian Interior Ministry found that 80% of the population practices the Salforti Rite, 17.2% practices Islam, 2.3% practices the Creeperian Rite, 1% are irreligious or agnostic, and 0.5% practice other religious.

Number	Religion	Population in Number	Percentage
1	Salforti Catholic	72,624,000	80%
2	Muslim	15,614,160	17.2%
3	Creeperian Catholic	2,087,940	2.3%
4	Other	453,900	0.5%

Education

The Salisfordian Ministry of Education is responsible for education in Salisford. All citizens are required to go through 12 years of schooling. Which is divided into a primary and secondary course. The primary course is from the 1st to 8th years of education, and it offers a general education standard which includes basic literacy, second language studies, basic mathematics, history, and science. Also a major feature of the primary course is a large amount of field trips to various work sites and employers which is meant to introduce students to a varied amount of possible careers that are available to them.

The secondary course, which runs from the 9th to 12th years of schooling, is intended to give students valuable skills in a student-selected career path (i.e. if a student chose an engineering/technical path, the classes would be more focused on mathematics and physics than a student in a humanities path). Students are free to switch between certain paths if they decide they would rather focus on another career path. However, all students are required to take certain advanced mathematics, language, and history courses despite of their chosen path.

Religious exemptions are granted. A major theme of Salforti Catholic schools is their focus on the liberal arts. This is contrasted by the government-run schools which tend to be more technically-minded. Universities and technical schools dominate Salisfordian higher education. The top schools in Salisford are the University of San Tiberio, University of Savotta, and the Serino Technical School.

Healthcare

The Crown considers healthcare a service which is extremely important to the common good. Thus, the Salisfordian government has made the endevor to provide heavily subsidized, if not free, healthcare to its citizens. However, the government only pays for treatments which are meant to heal injuries or fight disease. The government has refused in the past to provide payment for plastic surgery and other treatments which it consideres "luxury treatments".

Church-run hospitals and hospices are common in Salisford.

Culture

Main article: Salisfordian Culture

The cultural history of Salisford spans from the first nomadic tribes on the Central Plain to the modern day. Major cultural influences have been the Romanyans, the Iberics, the Arabs, and the Creeperans as well as the indigenous culture which grew over time. Modern Salisford has 4 major cultural traditions which is divided between the Savottan, the Collino, the Norano, and the Montcraben cultures. Over time, these 4 traditions have shared many cultural items but they still remain distinct. However, the Montcraben portion of the population looks to their home country for cultural inspiration.

Salforti Catholicism has had a large effect on the development of Salisfordian culture.

Art and architecture

Main articles: Art of Salisford and Architecture of Salisford

Art

A Salisfordian religious painting.

A Savottan fresco.

Since ancient times, people have inhabited Salisford. Numerous cave drawings have been found and have been dated back to around 7000 BC. There are many well-preserved and rich artifacts, remains, and tombs which were left by the ancient Salisfordians, the Romanyans, the Savottans, and the Arabs. The ancient Savottan remains are extraordinarily rich, from their grand Romanyan-style monuments to ordinary buildings that were preserved by an ancient eruption of Mount Caladio.

Art is popular in Salisford, with sculpture, paintings, and photography being major parts of the Salisfordian art scene.

Architecture

A Salisfordian palazzo.

Collino vernacular architecture.

Traditional carpentry, masonry, stone and woodwork techniques and decorations are utilized in Salisfordian vernacular architecture. The vernacular architecture is still very popular and widespread in Salisford, however government buildings tend to be built in a Palazzo-style, which originates from the Salisfordian cultural tradition.

Cuisine

Main article: Salisfordian Cuisine

Salisfordian cuisine is a Mediterranean cuisine and it has developed across Salisford since antiquity. Closely related to Montcraben cuisine, Salisfordian cuisine has a large amount of regional variety, especially between the 3 main cultural traditions of Salisford. It offers an abundance of taste, and has been called "one of the most vibrant and diverse cuisines in Terraconserva". Salisfordian cuisine also draws from various foreign cuisines, such as Arab and Iberic cuisine to the north, and Creeperian cuisine to the south.

Salisfordian cuisine tends to be simple, with chefs relying on the quality of ingredients rather than complex preparation. Ingedients and preparation styles vary by region and cultural tradition. Popular dishes include pizza, pastas, various soups, cheeses, pastries, breads, and small cakes. Common ingredients are grains (chiefly wheat), tomatoes, bell pepper, garlic, basil, cheese, fish, legumes, beans, rice, and many others.

Salisfordian cuisine deemphasizes breakfast, with most Salisfordians only having a coffee and a sweet pastry for breakfast, but in turn it places more significance on later meals such as lunch and dinner.

Public holidays

Main article: Public Holidays in Salisford

Date	English Name	Local Name	Remarks
1 January	New Year's Day	Capodanno
6 January	Epiphany	Epifania
Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox	Easter Sunday	Pasqua
Monday after Easter	Easter Monday	Pasquetta
1 May	Feast of Saint Joseph	Festa di San Giuseppe)
23 June	Feast of Saint Tiberius	Festa di San Tiberio
15 August	Assumption Day	Assunzione
1 November	All Saints' Day	Tutti i santi
25 November	The King's Birthday	Il Compleanno del Re	The date changes whenever there is a new King of Salisford
8 December	Immaculate Conception	Immacolata Concezione
25 December	Christmas Day	Natale

Sports

Main article: Sport in Salisford

Salisford has a long tradition of sports, and many sports remain popular in Salisford. The most popular sport in Salisford is association football, but calcio storico, volleyball, and athletics are popular as well and Salisford has a strong tradition in those sports. Salisford also has strong traditions in the sports of fencing, rugby, basketball, swimming, hunting, and skeet shooting.

National sporting events are organized by the Comitato Regio Sportivo Salfortano (CRSS, commonly pronounced "criss"), which is an committee made up of various national sporting associations for different sports. This organization cooperates with the Salisfordian government to schedule the Torneo Reale, a national sporting competition held under the patronage of the Salisfordian monarch.

See also

• Outline of Salisford
• Monarchy in Salisford
• Francesco II
• Carlo Valenza