Kingdom of Poleland
Much like the Earth nation, Poland has been through a lot. From being a one-time territorial conquest of the former Roostian Empire, to being a protectorate of the Samigotian Collectivate (which is now extinct, and exists as the Duchy of Lituwa within Poleland), Poleland is most well known for standing fast against the former Roostian Empire in the Great Lowland War of 207 - 313 B.C., then against territorial expansion by the Orghuz State from 5 B.C. to 37 C.S. when they were finally thrown out of Europe.
Poleland has known hard fighting the way only Ponies know. Largely hoof-to-hoof brawls, with little actual violent and vicious bloodshed, and some one-on-one fights and duels. Never the less, Poleland developed the Winged Pegasi Hussars as their most elite formation in antiquity. While Pegasi are generally physically slight, lighter than Earth ponies, and not as intelligent as Unicorns, Polelish Pegasi are notoriously stocky and thicky built. Most don't have the full powers of flight, or if so, only for short distances. They CAN, however, cloud walk even on the thinnest of cloud formations, like fog and mist, allowing them to approach their enemies in total silence, seeming to hover mere centimeters off the ground.
Poleland's ancient history is similar to the other nations in North Equus. The actual culture stretches back to Ancient Times (10,000 years ago), and they were, for a time, a puppet state of the ancient Herdiet Union from 8,000 years ago. After the Avegir's Cataclysm 8,000 years ago, the nation was reduced to only a few core territories and 1/10th of its population, as was much of the world. Unlike the rest of the world, however, Poleland kept very strict records of the Avegir Cataclysm.
When the War with Tirek was in the offing, Poleland had hold of territory that Earth's Poland only ALMOST did in the middle ages - a line of territory leading to The Black Sea, and a Black Sea port at Berislav (Pol: Tawan), up the Dniepr River. Tawan in Equus has a very wide and deep section of river that opens immediately to the Black Sea, with a far wider span between it and the southern shore of the Dniepr River. This makes it Poleland's largest naval base, next to the city of Nikopol, which, being further up the river, has a very shallow river bottom, suitable only for smaller ships. This allowed Poleland to construct a Navy, as it would otherwise be stuck, since the Northern Sea in Equus is almost completely trapped by the continents.
Poleland's admission into NEIGHTO was immediate, and their desire to contribute outweighed their ability to do so, to the point that at least some Polelish army troops sent on their first official expedition to help save Neighpon, were armed only with lance and crossbow.
King Solarenski is not part of the Celestial Circle of Nations that accept Celestia as their One True Princess of the Sun, instead worshipping Old Gods unique to the Slavlands. None the less, he respects Celestia, and gives her bearing and proper station as the de facto leader of most North Equus affairs. Even more so once General K arrived, and proved his courage.
Culturally, the Poles respect strength, honesty, dedication, loyalty, generosity, and forebearance - essentially, the core of the Elements of Harmony. While they don't have the great magics of other nations, they do have a deep connection to the original Empire of Harmony from thousands of years ago, with Harmonians coming over the North Sea and settling in what's now Elblag. It's thought that Polelish culture is a perversion of the original Harmonian culture, as the North Sea froze over and was subjected to intense storms at one point in ancient history.
Poleland's politics are indisputably Slavic and Feudal. Poleland is divided into Counties led by Counts (Hrabia) - minus the Duchy of Litwa led by Ksiaze Tornow, and smaller cities and estates led by Barons. Each of these Counts and Barons have a voice at the Royal Court of Nobility (Królewski Trybunal Szlachecki), with the Duchy of Litwa having greater weight than a Count, and a Count having more weight than a Baron.
Local rule is done primarily through County Councils (Rada Powiatu) to handle day-to-day affairs. City Councils exist for the larger cities in the nation. Some Barons and Counts have no formal elected council of any kind, and operate through a system of Magistrates and representatives.
