Katharenia, officially the Kathareni Republic is a country in Southeastern Magna Europa, located on the southern tip of Hjalmarland, it shares land borders with Little Sarmatia to the northwest, the Sarmatian Principality to the north and the Tsardom of Moesia to the northeast. The Morean Sea lies to the west of Katharenia, the Pontus Sea to the east and the Hochsee and Steno Pontou to the south. The Kathareni Republic has a population of 7 million. Mycenaea is the capital and largest city, followed by Korinthia, Thermaios and Eirenai.

The Kathareni Republic was established in 1918 succeeding the Kingdom of Katharenia. Economic stagnation, the unpopularity of the ruling foreign House of Althofen and King Constantinos I, and constitutional infighting over the interpretation of the constitution between the King and Parliament, which ultimately culminated in a military coup d'etat in Mycenaea and forcing the abdication of Constantinos I and subsequent departure. In the resulting power vacuum, the Kathareni Parliament declared the formation of the Kathareni Republic as a unitary parliamentary republic.



Katharenia, located in Southern and Southeastern Magna Europa, on the Hjalmarland Basin, Katharenia has the longest coastline out of all of its neighbours, spanning along their peninsular mainland and hundreds of coastal islands. The Kathareni mainland consists of a mountainous peninsula that juts into the sea, particularly along the provinces of Epirus, Patraeus, St. Stephan, Arkadion and Heraklion.

Out of all of the countries in the Hjalmarland Peninsula, Katharenia is covered approximately 70% with mountains, making the country the most mountainous compared to their northerly neighbours in the peninsula. Along the coast, and especially evident along the Pontus Islands, Leto Superior and Inferior, and the municipality of Mycenaea, provinces of Greater Mycenaea, Nikis and Argyros, the weather can reach 30°C in many areas. Inland, particularly in mountainous areas, the climate is more transitional between the humid Hochsee and the continental Magna Europa, with average summer temperatures reaching 20°C in most areas, cooler and less humid conditions than the coast.

Prior to the Republic's existence, Katharenia was a small and predominantly agricultural country that had remained economically underdeveloped and politically constrainted to foreign royal houses, with the last house being the House of Althofen. Under the governance of King Constantinos I, modernization efforts were limited as the monarchy clashed with Parliament over constitutional intrepretation and authority, with the King exercising his power to veto legislation and dismissing ministers, contributing to government paralysis.

In late 1918, Black Monday, a severe global economic downturn originating from Northern Magna Europa, would arrive to Katharenia. Offers for foreign loans disappeared, the Kathareni monarchist government suspended payments on their foreign debt and had the Kathareni Daktylos taken off the gold standard, leading to the devaluation of the Daktylos and accelerating financial instability.

Financial shock would quickly spread to the national economy. Agricultural prices spiked, incomes plummeted and unemployment surged as the export reliant economy slowed. Frustration would mount as inflation eroded wages and saving, while the government appeared increasingly incapable of formulating a coherent response. Polarization intensified between Republicans, who blamed the monarchy for governmental paralysis, and Conservatives and Royalists, who accused the parliament of undermining national stability. Political violence between rival factions became common and several provincial governors defied directives from the royal court.

By January 1919, the government had effectively ceased to function with the King having dissolved parliament twice, vetoed emergency economic measures and the dismissal of ministers, Republican elements of the Kathareni Army intervened. Launching a coup in Mycenaea, the army seized key ministries, the telegraph offices and palace.

King Constantinos I, facing widespread discontent in army contingents and lacking international backing, abdicated as the King of Katharenia and fled the country along with members of the House of Althofen. Days following the military coup, Parliament reconvened under military protection and voted on the establishment of the Kathareni Republic, signalling the end of the monarchy and the beginning of a modern parliamentary regime.

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