Imperial Collage of Heralds, Information Division
Document DJR-2106/2
001-2370T

The Karadzic Empire
The Karadzic Empire is a non-Imperial Diadochi state hostile to the
Magellanic Empire located in the Mehrtz District (subsector D) of the
Newlands sector. The Empire was formed in 2179T with the overthrow of the
previous democratic government of Karadzic {Newlands 2803} by Luta Jakob,
the First Karadzic Empress. The Karadzic Empire is the dominant power in the
Mehrtz subsector, though recently this dominance has been challenged by the
Imperial world of Saladin {Newlands 2606}. The Karadzic Empire has resisted
all Imperial attempts to encourage them to accede the Babylon Accords and
remains fully sovereign and independent. 

Karadzic
     Karadzic A765735-9
Karadzic is a medium sized (10,000km diameter) world orbiting Uros, a
solitary K0 V star at a distance of 97,500,000km. Karadzic has on orbital
period of 210.625 standard days and rotates on its axis once every 15
standard hours. Karadzic has an axial tilt of 9° and an orbital eccentricity
of 0.03. It has an albedo of 0.3 and an average surface temperature of
14.5° Celsius. Karadzic has a population of 40 million. The world is
pleasantly earth like with few extremes of climate. The small axial tilt
produces mild seasons and many crops can be grown all year round. The world
is unremarkable in terms of mineral wealth, several large deposits of
petrochemicals have been discovered and most common elements can be extracted
from its surface.

History
Karadzic was first settled by Terrans during the Middle Imperial Period,
with the majority of its early colonist coming from the Russian and Balkan
regions of Terra. It remained a backwater world throughout the Imperial
Period. In 1182T the local Squire declared the world independent of the
Terran Empire. Karadzic's location in the rift and general lack of
importance resulted in the Empire never going further than issuing a formal
rejection of Karadzic's declaration of independence; and Karadzic slipped
from the Empire with comparative ease and very little strife.

During the Second Dark Age, Karadzic slipped back to a tribal pre-industrial
culture, remarkable only in that it was one of the few places where Imperial
noble forms were entirely abandoned. By 1950T the world had recovered to
tech level 4 and was being regularly (albeit infrequently) visited by
offworld traders. In response to this contact a World Council evolved to
deal with offworlders and this gradually became a democratic world
government. By the time of Luta Jakob's coup in 2179T the world had recovered
to a solid tech level 6 and was actively considering acceding to the Babylon
Accords.

Brigadier General Luta Jakob was a senior officer in the small Karadzic
security force. In 2178T the World Council of Karadzic had been considering
signing the Babylon Accords for a number of years. Whilst the majority of
the population was in favour of signing, a vocal conservative minority
opposed this. To settle the matter, the World Council of Karadzic decided to
put the matter to a referendum in early 2180T. When it became clear that the
pro-Imperial lobby would win the referendum comfortably, Jakob rallied this
conservative minority and launched her coup in late 2179T. The coup was
successful, the World Council was quickly deposed and a purge of pro-Imperial
elements in the bureaucracy and population followed. The purges continued
for several years, while Jakob consolidated her power and eliminated all
potential rivals.

Jakob quickly launched a campaign to industrialise Karadzic. Her aim appears
to have been to reconcile the population to her dictatorial rule by an
overall increase in the standards of living and the world's status in the
interstellar community. Imperial overtures regarding accession to the
Babylon Accords were rejected, though by playing on this possibility, she
was able to gain considerable aid for Karadzic's development from the Empire
for some time. In 2194T, Jakob declared the formation of the Karadzic Empire
with herself as the first Empress. By the time of her assassination in 2201T,
Jakob had pushed Karadzic to tech level 7 and firmly established
authoritarian rule.

With Jakob's assassination in 2201T, it was widely expected that democratic
rule would be quickly reestablished. These beliefs turned out to be
misfounded. Jakob had not allowed any of her subordinates to achieve
sufficient personal power to threaten her position and with no clear heir, a
power struggle ensued. Initially she was succeeded by her son Norin I.
However in 2204T, Jakob's chief of staff, Stephen Bakr initiated a coup
which overthrew Norin and resulted in his death. Bakr further consolidated
the Empire's control and established the now infamous Vermox to reinforce
that control. Under Bakr a rule of terror was instituted; dissidents and
political opponents would simply be abducted at night and their headless
tortured bodies would be found several weeks later. These brutal methods
firmly consolidated the Karadzic Empire's grip on power.

However these brutal methods could not keep Bakr himself in power. In 2222T
he was assassinated and Wimila Podabrad assumed the throne. She did not
disband the Vermox, but she did greatly moderate it. It was retained as the
organ for state security, but its former brutal methods were abandoned and
many of it members tried, convicted and executed for the crimes of the Bakr
era. Wimila also returned Jokob's policies of industrial expansion and
technological development. In 2229T Wimila married the prominent
industrialist Mark Suvarski further strengthening the Empire's legitimacy.

In 2251T the Karadzic Empire purchased a large number of surplus warships
from several Imperial Diadochi states. This was followed in 2257T by an
invasion of the balkanised world of Laida {Newlands 2702}. The vast
technological superiority of the Karadzic forces quickly overwhelmed the
nations of Laida, though a long running guerilla war was to develop. By the
time of Wimila's assassination by Laidian nationalists in 2268T, the
Karadzic Empire was clearly a major power in the Mehrtz and adjacent Mitre
Districts.

Wimila was succeeded by her son Norin II. One of his first acts (in 2269T)
was to rename Laida Jakob in honour of the first Empress and to brutally
suppress the ongoing guerilla war there (this was finally achieved in
2275T). Norin II continued his mother's policies; and by 2280T Karadzic had
reached tech level 8 and was the dominant power in the Mehrtz District. The
Empire extended its control to the sparsely populated world of Florence
{Newlands 2502} in 2281T. This was to prove vital for the Empire.

In 2288T Lanthanum was discovered on Florence. Norin II turned over the
exploitation and administration of this world to his father's company (now
run by his cousin Georg Suvarski). The Lanthanum and other rare ore deposits
on Florence have become the basis of the Karadzic Empire's economic growth
in recent years as Karadzic itself has reached the practical limit of its
expansion given its low population base.

Norin II died in 2290T and was succeeded by his son Mark. Mark's reign was
unremarkable and cut short by his death in 2292T. Though no clear evidence
exists, some very suspicious circumstances surround Mark's death and it is
widely held that he was assassinated.

Mark died without issue and the throne passed to his cousin Conrad Suvarski.
Conrad's reign was notable mainly for limited democratic reforms along with
attempts to improve relations with the Magellanic Empire. Conrad came into
conflict with the nobility over this and his attempts to reduce the size of
the military and its attendant economic and industrial costs. Conrad died in
2342T when the ex-Diadochi starship he was travelling on misjumped. This
accident lead to the retirement of all ex-Diadochi starships and Karadzic
has depended exclusively on its own shipyards from that time onwards.

Conrad was succeeded by his daughter Mary. Mary had been a vocal proponent
of self reliance and autocratic rule. Mary immediately reversed her fathers
policies of improving relations with the Magellanic Empire, revoked his
democratic reforms and instituted a major modernisation of the Karadzic
military. Mary has faced two major challenges during her reign to date.
Mary's first major challenge was the rise of the Imperial world, Saladin.
Over the past 15 years Saladin has grown to be a major threat to Karadzic's
export markets; and over the past 5 years the expansion of the Saladin fleet
has threatened Karadzic's position as the leading power in the Mehrtz
District. Mary's second major challenge has been a revolt which erupted on
Jakob in 2367T. Though the Karadzic news agencies claim this revolt has been
suppressed, Jakob remains under interdiction.

Government
The Karadzic Empire is governed by a self-perpetuating oligarchy of
industrialists and bureaucrats. Executive power is vested in the Empress and
her rule is theoretically absolute, but her actions are moderated by the
need to maintain the support of the ruling class (collectively termed the
nobility) and the military. She is advised by an appointed cabinet made up
from members of the nobility. The formal nobility was organised in 2194T when
Luta Jakob proclaimed the Empire, however until Wimila's reign its membership
was not hereditary and dependent on the whims of the Emperor. Wimila reformed
the nobility along Terran lines; proper precedence was established and
certain influential families awarded hereditary titles. These reforms greatly
strengthened the Empire at a time when stability was sorely needed.

The support of the military is vital to the Empire's continued grip on power
and as such, it wields considerable influence in government. However its
officer corps is drawn almost exclusively from the nobility. As such it has
a vested interest in maintaining the status quo and poses no threat to the
Empire's stability.

Military
The Karadzic Empire has three military arms: the Army, the Navy and the
Vermox. The Army is clearly the largest and most prestigious. Organised into
30 Brigades and supporting elements equipped to tech level 9, the majority of
its troops are maintained on Jakob, where prior to the recent uprising, they
were supported by 100 Brigades of local auxiliaries equipped to tech level 7.
The current force levels of Jakob auxiliaries is unknown, but it is widely
believed that some units have joined the rebels. There is no Karadzic
equivalent of the Imperial Marines, if shipboard troops are required they are
provided by the Army, which maintains five specialist Interface battalions
for this purpose, as well as smaller detachments for shipboard security. In
addition to its planetary forces, the Army maintains eleven squadrons of
space fighters and numerous small craft. These are mainly deployed aboard
Navy carriers for interface duties.

The Navy is equipped to tech level 9 and maintains ships ranging from 9,000
ton ships of the line to 400 ton sloops; as well three fighter squadrons and
other small craft. The majority of its forces are based at Karadzic, though
substantial forces are maintained at Jakob and Florence. Security aboard its
vessels and around naval installations is provided by the Army.

The Vermox is equipped to tech level 9. Details of its organisation and force
levels are unknown. Like the Army, it maintains substantial forces on Jakob
and is supported there by a large number of local auxiliaries equipped to
tech level 8. The Karadzic Empire has never fought a war with forces of equal
technological level; and some doubts exists as to its ability to do so.

Language
The official language of the Karadzic Empire is Karadzician. This language
developed as a fusion of Imperial Terran Anglic and Stellar Slavic on
Karadzic during the Second Dark Age. All official government business is
conducted in Karadzician and several laws require its use in many
circumstances and other laws restrict the use of other languages. Whilst
Maganglic is discouraged, it is not uncommon for Karadzicians to speak it as
a second language, especially those who are likely to come into contact with
foreign nationals. Laidian, a language descended from Old Terran Spanish is
still widely spoken on Jakob, despite strenuous attempts to suppress its use
and bans on its teaching. 

Calender
The Karadzic Empire uses its own temporal system and calender. The temporal
system is based on Karadzic's 15 hour day and its year of 337 local days
(210.625 standard days). The calender has no zero year and its start date
corresponds with the formation of the empire in 072-2194T. This calender and
temporal system were introduced by Luta Jakob in 2199T. Karadzic law
prohibits the use of any other calendar or temporal system.

Relations with the Magellanic Empire and notes for travellers
The Karadzic Empire was founded with a deep hostility to the Magellanic
Empire and this remains to the present. Relations did improve during
Conrad's reign; but under his daughter Mary, they have deteriorated again.
Imperial visitors to the Empire should proceed cautiously and treat the
Empire as an amber zone. Outright hostility is unlikely but constant
harassment by authorities is to be expected. It is advisable to acquire a
working knowledge of Karadzician beforehand, as this will greatly reduce the
potential for harassment. The Karadzic Empire's bureaucracy is notoriously
corrupt and bribery is common place (though it does carry very severe
penalties if convicted). Imperial travellers should note that unlike the
Magellanic Empire; starports within the Karadzic Empire are not subject to
extraterritoriality and Karadzic jurisdiction extends to all points
throughout their systems (the Karadzic Empire claims all space out to one
parsec from the stars within their Empire). As of 001-2370T Jakob remains
interdicted; and the penalty for breaching the interdiction is summary
execution. Jakob's gas giants are open for wilderness refuelling, but a
special permit is required to approach within 100 planetary diameters of
Jakob itself. Jakob should be treated as a red zone until such time as the
interdiction is lifted.

There is an Imperial Embassy on Karadzic itself and Consulates on Jakob and
Florence. The Starfarers Guild have an office in Karadzic Downport; and
Saladin also maintain their own diplomatic post on Karadzic in addition to
the Imperial presence. It is strongly recommended that any visiting Imperial
citizen register their presence with the relevant Embassy or Consulate at the
earliest opportunity.