Aftarestan

Aftarestan (: افترستن), also called Aftaristan, officially the Revolutionary Republic of Aftarestan (: جمهوری انقلابی افترستن) is a country located in northern Kesh. It has a population of 66,152,850 and its territory covers an area of 1,066,525 km2 (411,788 sq mi). Aftarestan is bordered by the Gulf of Qurac to the northeast, to the east by Nasiria and Atargistan, to the southeast by (unknown), to the southwest by Jagani ,to the west by (unknown), and to the northwest by (unknown). The capital and largest metropolis, Neyriz is the political and economic center of Aftarestan, housing a population of over 8 million inhabitants, and 13 million in the wider metropolitan area.

Aftarestan's governing party is the Revolutionary Congressional Party of Aftarestan, and is a founding member of the International Movement for Socialism, and takes regular part in IMS proceedings along with several governing parties in the semi-autonomous regions within Aftarestan having full or partial membership within the IMS as coalition members with the RCPA. Opposition parties in Aftarestan are limited in number and scale, but nonetheless engage with international support from various nations, organizations, and groups.

The Aftari river valleys have been populated since as early as 11,000BCE, and has been home to civilizations since the first Elamite cities and kingdoms in the 4th millennium BCE. It was first united under the rule of the Iranian Sarumite tribes in the ninth century BCE.

Awshadi Dynasty (1798CE – 1921CE)
The Awshadi Dynasty was founded by Mohammad Ebrahim Shah in 1798CE, after five years of conflict following the death of Rezi Ali Shah III, the last ruler of the Zawadi Dynasty. Mohammad Ebrahim Shah (born Ebrahim Suri) was the fourth son of the chief of the Awshad tribe, the appointed governor of the Luk in 1777CE, and a member of Rezi Ali III’s Minister Council from 1784CE until the death of the Shah in 1793CE. Rezi Ali Shah III died after only nine years of rule to Tuberculosis at age 33, and without an heir, the throne was to go to Rezi Ali III’s cousin Hussayn Rokh Zawad. However before Hussayn Rokh could arrive at the capital, a coup led by several court nobles took place to install Hussayn Rokh’s brother Abbas Zawad as Shah, and upon Hussayn Rokh’s arrival, Abbas had him imprisoned and blinded in secret.

Mohammad Ebrahim, who had supported Hussayn Rokh Zawad, gathered support from other members of the Minister Council, and court nobles who opposed Abbas Zawad, and lead an uprising against Abbas and his supporters. Abbas abdicated the throne after less than a year of fighting, and as a result he was imprisoned and executed. Hussayn Rokh Zawad was placed on the throne, but died without an heir later that year to an infection in his wounds. With no legal heir to throne left alive, rebellions and revolts sprung up across the country as warlords began vying for control. The Minister Council ordered the raising of any forces loyal to the Court to assemble in the capital, and Mohammad Ebrahim, recognized for his efforts in securing the throne for Hussayn Rokh Zawad, was selected as commander in chief for the Minister Council’s forces in combating the rebel armies.

The campaign led by Mohammad Ebrahim lasted nearly three years, and consisted of many minor battles and skirmishes with rebelling warlords, peasants, and bandits, and culminated in the Battle of Latakh Valley (1797CE) where Mohammad Ebrahim’s forces defeated an army nearly a third in size larger than his own, putting the rebellions to a final end shortly thereafter. With his victories and accomplishments, Mohammad Ebrahim experienced a great surge in popularity among his forces and much of the populace for bringing back the peace. With this popularity, the Minister Council and much of the court nobility feared Mohammad Ebrahim would soon take control of the Council and Court, and conspired to have him assassinated upon his return to the Capital. However a member of the Council had sent a message to Ebrahim Shah in secret, telling him of the plans the Council had to assassinate him. Mohammad Ebrahim, upon receiving word of his planned assassination, marched his army on the Capital and soon laid siege to it, demanding every Noble and member of the Council who had conspired against him be brought out and publicly executed.

The siege lasted four months, with many defenders defecting to Mohammad Ebrahim’s army, and riots breaking out throughout the city. Upon Mohammad Ebrahim taking the capital, he ordered the execution of all those who had conspired against him, putting Ministers in their place that were loyal to him. On February 21st, 1798CE, Ebrahim Mohammad was declared Shah by the Minister Council, beginning the Awshadi dynasty.

Religion
The predominant religion of Aftarestan is Islam which has been a major part of daily life since the 13th century when Islam started to become widespread within the nation. Islam is believed to have arrived around the 7th century.