Timeline 2/Kisarazu Federation

Kisarazu, officially the Kisarazu Federation, is a country in southeastern Ohan. With a land area of 6 million square kilometers and a population of 97 million, it is the 11th largest in the world by population.

Early history
Earliest traces of human civilization in the regions that are now part of the Kisarazu Federation can be dated back to 2300 BC, with the earliest civilizations being founded near modern day Lake Hirasawa and Taimatsu around 2000 BC. The Nishikawese, whose territory was mostly concentrated around the area between Lake Hirasawa and Lake Shinjo. Because of their isolated location, the Nishikawese developed an unique culture unlike most other regions in Kisarazu. On the other hand, the Sakuramians, who founded villages near modern day Taimatsu, expanded quickly. By 1900 BC, the Sakuramians' territory stretched from Nakano, Kochi, Nanko, Wakkanai, and Firudo. At the same time, the Nishikawese established the Kingdom of Nishikawa, and the Sakuramians establishing the Kingdom of Sakurami. The Sakuramians were skilled craftsmen, their expertise was pottery and metalworking, while the Nishikawans lived a semi-nomadic life, focused on hunting and fishing.

The two kingdoms coexisted peacefully for some time, however, quickly after disputes over farming and fishing rights over Lake Hirasawa and the land near it, the Sakuramians invaded Nishikawa. What ensued was a costly war to both parties, although Sakurami eventually prevailed and pushed the Nishikawese out of the eastern shores of Lake Hirasawa, this war is named the Old Sakurami-Nishikawa War by future historians. Around 1400 BC, a peasants rebellion called the Brown Banner Rebellion(Chairo no hata no hanran) broke out in Sakurami, and it ended with the tyrant king of Sakurami being captured by the rebels and then beheaded. Sakurami then separated into three kingdoms, the Kingdom of Tojo in the north, controlling modern day Wakkanai, Yusuhara, Ofunato, and Firudo, and the Kingdom of Minamishu in the south, controlling modern day Nanko, Kochi, and Hirasawa. What remained of the territories that the old kingdom of Sakurami held was still called Sakurami, just under a different king. Nowadays historians prefer to refer to the 1900 BC Kingdom of Sakurami as "Old Sakurami", and the 1400 BC kingdom as "New Sakurami".

The four kingdoms continued to engage in skirmishes and wars, both big and small from 1400 BC to 10 AD. But the most significant war was the Nara War. Minamishu, allied with Nishikawa, attacked New Sakurami after New Sakurami refused to remove Sakuramian farmers that have cross over the border to grow crops, which Minamishu saw as an invasion of its territory. Nishikawa agreed to help Minamishu in exchange for land on the eastern shore of Lake Hirasawa, which they lost to Old Sakurami during the Old Sakurami-Nishikawa War. The war eventually ended in a stalemate, but Minamishu refused to give the land promised to Nishikawa, which enraged Nishikawa, who then switched sides, and launched a counter invasion with New Sakurami, and this time Minamishu was defeated, they were forced to give half of the eastern lake shore to Nishikawa, and lost land near Kochi to New Sakurami.

Wars between the four kingdoms continued until 10 AD, which relations relatively calmed down. Poetry, music, and calligraphy flourished during this period, it is also when Shinto spread quickly, eventually becoming the largest religion in all four kingdoms. In 352 AD, the King of New Sakurami proclaimed himself the rightful emperor to rule over all four kingdoms, blessed from Heaven. This triggered the Holy Sakurami War, which New Sakurami faced off against the coalition of Tojo, Minamishu, and Nishikawa. New Sakurami eventually prevailed, conquering the three kingdoms after 5 years of war. Tojo, Minamishu, and Nishikawa became vassals of the now renamed "Sakurami Empire", their original kings were disposed of their titles, and replaced with Emperor Aoyama Haru's relatives. This is also the first time the name "Kisarazu" is used to refer to the combined territory of all four kingdoms, as the name originated from a legend that there was a civilization named "Kisarazu" even before Nishikawa and Sakurami, making them the ancestors of both later civilizations, though no archaeological evidence suggest that Kisarazu existed. The name Kisarazu is used by Emperor Aoyama Haru to symbolize blood unity between all four kingdoms.

The Sakurami Empire's control over Kisarazu ended in 1050 AD, when child emperor Aoyama Yuuma was raised to the throne. Seven years old Emperor Yuuma had no experience in ruling over a country, which caused regional shoguns to take advantage. In Nishikawa, Shogun Takahashi Daido, who was a blood relative of the disposed royal family of Nishikawa, took control. In Tojo, two shoguns, Shogun Yamada Hideki and Shogun Hirano Akihito battled for influence in the region, with Shogun Hirano winning after Yamada Hideki was killed by one of his own guards, who was paid by Hirano. In Minamishu, local wealthy landlord Endo Shion took power, hiring mercenaries with his large wealth. In Sakurami, however, it was Emperor Yuuma's uncle, Prince Ryoichi that held control, "volunteering" to be Emperor Yuuma's regent until he was of age. The three shogunates were established after the respective shoguns had total control over their region.

Fast advancements in warfare weaponry were also connected to this era, including the introduction of gunpowder weaponry. 15 years after Emperor Yuuma took the throne, he believed that he now has the knowledge to rule over the Sakurami Empire, and requested that his uncle, who took the place of regent 15 years ago, to step down. But his uncle, Prince Agawa Ryoichi refused, igniting a power struggle in the central court. This further escalated into what future historians called the Sakurami Civil War, which the Restorationists(supporters of Emperor Yuuma) fought with the Loyalists(supporters of Prince Ryoichi). The war was at first stuck in a stalemate, but after a while, the Restorationists were beginning to take the higher ground, the final straw was when Shogun Hirano took the side of the Restorationists, capturing Nakatsu, the last base of the Loyalists. Unfortunately for the now restored Emperor Yuuma, the civil war had destabilized his realm, allowing for even more warlords attempting to take power. After 4 more years of fighting among 7 different big and small factions, the Hamasaki family, a powerful family that originated from the city of Tatsuno, came out on top. Shogun Hamasaki Akio was now shogun of central Sakurami, controlling all territory that once was under the central royal family. Emperor Yuuma, not wanting to lose any more lives, gave up his control of the territories besides the capital of Taimatsu to Hamasaki.