Hochs or Hochlandic people are a Gardlian ethnic group native to the mountainous region of central Longerath. There are significant Hochlandic diaspora communities in Feniz, Phenixia, Angliya, Samuelonia, Aethelnia, Estontetso and Drekanland. The Hochlandic population is estimated to be between xx and xx million.
Hochs speak Ingallish, Fraenkisch and Phenixien. A majority of Hochs belong to Papaist Cruisanism, but significant numbers practise Orthodox Cruisanism.
History[]
Medieval period[]
Independent Hochlandia[]
After the break up of Greater Phenixia in 299 AP, the Republic of Hochlandia became an independent state on 17 June 299 under interim President, Anders Hetman. President Hetman successfully negotiated the northern Angliyan region of Lazischyna, predominately inhabited by ethnic Hochs, becoming a protectorate of Hochlandia.
The newly formed Hochlandian government soon began to struggle under the strain of the poor economy and government corruption began to increase. Strikes by various public servants led to widespread dislike for President Hetman. President Hetman was forced to take a robust approach against his critics and began to use the Hochlandian army as a police force, due to the civil police force striking. Hetman was disliked by the governments of Feniz and Phenixia, who looked upon Hochlandia with great concern.
Towards the end of 300 AP the country began to break down with wide spread rioting and ethnic tensions high. Roaming troops without pay afflicted the population which started to flee to Feniz, Phenixia, Dascunya, Aethelnia and Angliya. Dascunya and Angliya elected to close its borders with Hochlandia, whilst Feniz erected a wall and deployed border security to prevent the tide of Hoch refugees. By January 301 a coup by Orthodox Cruisian Hochlandians saw President Hetman flee to Phenixia. Commander Gregor Orlange of the OCH militia announced himself as the new President which led to religious tension between Orthodox and Papaist Hochlandian groups.
In March 301, Hochlandia was invaded by the Armed Forces of Feniz (10 till 19 March), and annexed the region in what concluded the Hochlandian War of 301.
Feniz occuption[]
The two duchies of Hochlandia became Emirates under the rule of Feniz and Gregor Orlange was made Governor of Mokra, whilst Hendrik Aldbrecht, former leader of Sukha Blue Brigade, was chosen as Governor of Sukha. Shortly after this, all Emirates of Feniz were given new, fenizised names, and the three Emirates of North Feniz, i.e. Feniz proper, revived the collective name from Phenixian times, Al Djumuriyah, fenizised "Al'Jumu-Ria". The two Hochlandian duchies of Mokra and Sukha became Ir'Mokra Id-Hochland Emirate (Mokra) and Ir'Sukha Id-Hochland Emirate or Sukha.
When Feniz took the lead in renewing the APWH, it chose Levyts'ki, the capital of Sukha, as location for its headquarters in order to strengthen the importance of the new emirates.
Conditions for those living in the cities saw little improvement. Local government corruption continued to be rife and violence between ethnic groups common place. Some of the bloodiest scenes were seen at churches across Hochlandia, where gangs targeted each other.
In 302, former Hochlandian General and leader of the United Hochlandian Armies, a Papaist militia group, Victor Machsgutcheff took up political asylum in Aethelnia. Machsgutcheff had been designated a terrorist by Fenizic authorities and relations between Aethelnia and Feniz remained tense whilst Machsgutcheff was given refuge.
Terror attacks[]
Between 305 and 312, Hochlandian nationalist groups became active in terror attacks across Feniz. The most notable attack occurred in 308 when the Bojarkish Peoples Party attacked the Occidental Express in Feniz.
Feniz conflict[]
On 3 March 313 the Hochlandian Liberation Front claimed responsibility for the assassination attempt against Grand Vizier Sheik G'Ensh-Er Pasha which mortally wounded Caliph Neer'Too-Gott while visiting the capital of Lysonia. During the Feniz Conflict Hochlandian militia groups were split, with groups such as the Hochlandian Liberation Front and Hochlandian Peoples Army siding with the Ix'Kano Neer'Aga regime, whilst the Hochlandian Brotherhood Union and Hochlandian Cruisian Defence Brigade siding with the Lysonian led coalition. Many Hochlandian militia groups played an integral part of the conflict in southern Feniz working alongside the Samuelonian and Angliyan army.
Western Hochland[]
The Republic of Western Hochland was established in December 316 at the Finnholm Negotiations after the breakup of Dascunya. Seth Barbosa led the negotiations on behalf of the Dascunyan Hochlandic factions and in 315 Barbosa was invited to form a government for the new Western Hochland state. The newly founded Hochlandic state was heralded as a huge moment for Hochlandic peoples across Longerath, with many calling for a Greater Hochland to be formed with territory from northern Angliya and southern Feniz.
Barbosa's newly founded government under the Hochlandic Peoples Party established the nations new capital in the city of Amsterhaven and the nations first election was scheduled to be held in January 320. Western Hochland became a founding member of the Central Longerath Union in 316.