"God save the Emperor!"
― daily salutatory motto to the Holy Roman Emperor of the Flood
The Holy Roman Empire of the Flood (added with the words "Apostolic" and "Undying") is a vast, gargantuan superpower of Max's 24th century alternate omniverse focused on political and imperial expansion, and the spreading of Roman Catholicism throughout the earth since the time of its foundation. The empire sprawls all throughout much of Europe, parts of Asia (European Russia up to the Urals as well as western parts of Central Asia and the Caucasus), the Middle East, most of north Africa, most of the Americas (with the exception of Brazil and southern Argentina as well as the rest of North America, which formed the North American Republic) and most of Oceania. The Flood is ruled by a sovereign dynasty descending from the French House of Bourbon, European dynasties, and powerful noble families (including descendants of the old Byzantine and ancient Roman emperors) known as the Bourbonum since the imperial government is often harsh and despotic, even towards heretics, criminals, political opponents, as well as moral degenerates that exist since the start of the 20th century. In its time, both the western (Roman Catholic) and eastern (Greek Orthodox) are reunified, ending the age-old Great Schism since Emperor Regalus conquered Italy and took Rome as his empire's capital (at that time, Rome is also known as the Regalus Conquest, in reference to the Emperor Regalus and his military conquests).
In real life, the Flood is notable for his stand against the WA resolution (#128 "On Abortion"). Its personal region, the Higher Royal Empire of the Flood, was notable among others during that time until it became defunct for a few years until it was re-founded in September 2015 by a new nascent power, the New Holy Roman Empire of the Seventh Greater German Reich (known as the O.E.U.S.G.G.R. or the One Eternal Unified Seven Greatest German Reichs).
Today, the Higher Royal Empire is emerging as a superpower since it became a protectorate of the Kaiserreich, thereby gaining reputation as an emerging superpower bloc. Its new founder participated in the fight against the CAIN and is collaborating with other world powers such as Nazi Europa, the Iron Order, Femdom State, and many others, thus, retaining the old glory of the once-majestic Floodian Empire that lies in its ancient spirit two years ago. Claiming sovereignty and succession to its old founder, the Seventh German Reich holds lone dominion over the region and fulfilling an obscure prophecy, its new founder, upon learning of its old shadow
Etymology[]
It is unclear whether the nation's player (Max) uses the word "Flood" or he took it from a popular French quote in the French Revolution attributed to Madame de Pompadour (après nous le déluge - after us the deluge/flood). Possibly the word "flood" is an allusion to this expression by King Louis XVI that came after the Battle of Rossbach in 1757; or the word is an allusion to this expression that implies "I do not care what happens after I am gone", or it is no so.
The full Latin title for the Flood, Apostolicum Sacrum Imperium Romanum Redundo, was also unclear of origin because the relationship between the word "Flood" and the Latin word "redundo" (redundancy) is either irrelevant or has another clue to another meaning. It seems that "redundo" is the same as "nugatio" and both synonyms came to mean uselessness (because even today, Max's second nation, the UNE, is used in place of his original nation). In another source, the word redundo has another meaning - a meaning linked to the word superfluity because the Empire of the Flood is possibly an indescribable and excessively powerful state, that is to say, an empire beyond compare since the days of King Louis XIV.
No general actual history comes to light concerning the origins of this nation name.
In-game establishment[]
Louis XIV, King of France, founded the Empire after the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14; since King Charles II of Spain died leaving no heir, the Crown was passed onto Prince Philip of Anjou (who in the actual world is King Philip V of Spain). It is unclear whether at that time Louis XIV was also crowned King of Spain in lieu of the actual king, Philip , because of an alternate outcome that would change the world. With the crowns of France and Spain united as a result of his grandfather's victory over the allies in the war, he became the progenitor of the Emperors of the Flood and sets about unifying Europe under the rule of a new dynasty, the House of Bourbonum.
History[]
Max has a brief treatise on the Empire of the Flood for so long, so this text here was considered canon to the author but its canonicity was left in doubt.
Origins of the Flood[]
According to Max, the origins of this empire is traced back to the late 1400s, when, he said, "the rightful claimant to the throne of Byzantium, Andreas [Palaeologus], sold his title as Eastern Roman Emperor to Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, and their progeny would produce Charles V, who would through a number of coincidences inherited many thrones, including the throne of the Holy Roman Empire, and the throne of the Kingdom of Spain, and by right, because of his grandparents' purchase of the title of Eastern Emperor..." Actually, Andreas Palaeologus is the pretender to the Byzantine Empire but never took the imperial throne, so he sold his title as Eastern Roman Emperor to European monarchs (such as Charles VIII and the other kings of France) yet failed to succeed in doing so. Andreas Palaeologus died a pauper despite selling his claims to the Catholic monarchs yet, they neglected his offer.
However, in its time, the Spanish Catholic monarchs responded to this offer and therefore claimed his titles of Eastern Roman Emperor, and according to him, their grandson, Charles V, has inherited both the Holy Roman Empire and the Spanish overseas empire (and in addition, has the right to the throne of Eastern Roman Emperor). In that way his empire almost became the bulwark against Ottoman Turkish expansion.
Spain retained its colossal overseas empire over three centuries, after Emperor Charles V died and his dominions were partitioned between the Spanish and Austrian Habsburgs, the former continued by his son, the latter to face an outbreak of the Thirty Years' War that left the Holy Roman Empire divided.
While France was on the verge between a dominant power and a loose confederation, for over many years, Louis XIV decided to continue his legacy by defeating the allies of the War of the Spanish Succession and in doing so, secured the personal union of Spain with France and consolidating their colonies into a merger that expanded to the Arctic in the north to the Strait of Magellan in the south.
With France and Spain united under one crown, the growing Empire mobilizes its armies to secure the merged colonies of New France, New Spain, and Floodian Thule; the expansion of the growing Empire to central and Eastern Europe, the conquest of the British Isles, the conquest of Scandinavia, and ultimately, the conquest of Italy.
Allegedly, the union swallowed up Britain and Ireland (which, according to Max, the British government fled to Australia in its conquest, possibly a result of anti-Anglican sentiments and the vengeance that caused the merger of Britain to the Empire), annexed the Low Countries following Burgundy's assimilation within the union, the conquest of Savoy as a retaliation to Prince Eugene's participation in the War of the Spanish Succession, the merger of Floodian Spain with the independent Kingdom of Portugal (and one of its colonies emerged to become the Brazilian Empire), curtailed political revolutions, and recognized the supremacy of the Catholic Church over the Empire to maintain religious and spiritual order within its borders.
The growing Empire has a hand on the Holy Roman Empire, asides the Austrian Habsburgs. Another account said that Maria Theresa at that time competed with Frederick the Great and Louis XVI, King of France and Spain as well as Third Emperor of the Flood, over the region. Immediately, the Seven Years' War was aborted at that time when Louis XVI decided to push his armies over the Rhine and grabbed Westphalia for his own, taking one step to seize the rest of the Holy Roman Empire. Some of the armies of King Louis XVI seized Austria, stopped the Ottoman advance, and faced Russia in a desperate war to take the Ukraine from Catherine II.
With much of the Holy Roman Empire, Prussia and Austria totally under Floodian rule, the fourth Emperor, Louis XVII at that time, turns its attention to Scandinavia. In an attempt to wrestle Denmark from King Christian VII, armies from occupied Holstein and Schleswig marched to attack Denmark, concluding that it will serve as a basement for the conquest of Scandinavia. From Copenhagen, Floodian forces occupied Norway and Sweden, and will not stop from annexing Finland, which will serve as a jumping point for the overall conquest of Russia.