The Quickverse Chronicles

by Quick Fix

A Brief History of Equestria

The following is a summation of various official historical texts detailing the nation of Equestria from 1 FE to 1000 CE. All dates have been adjusted to match the modern calendar as closely as possible.

---

While the exact details of the events surrounding the unification of the three pony tribes remain up for debate, it is universally agreed that on December 26th of the final year of separation, Equestria was officially founded and the first year of the Foundation Era (hereafter referred to as FE) began.

The first years of Equestria were focused internally, making efforts to stabilize ponykind's newfound peace and home. The three tribe leaders put their talents toward establishing the basis of Equestria's needs. Princess Platinum of the unicorns on infrastructure and economy, Commander Hurricane of the pegasi on exploration and defence, and Chancellor Puddinghead of the earth ponies on agriculture and sciences. Despite the initial teething troubles, each leader was able to work with each other and their talented followers. In 6 FE the first capital of Equestria, the city of Equis, was officially founded on the northwest coast of modern Equestria, at what is now known as Luna Bay. In 34 FE, the pegasus pony Cold Front became the first native born equestrian to become one of its leaders.

By 231 FE, Equis had a sustainable population that reached five figures and its current leaders, Timed Hunt, Sky Dive and Mythic Dawn, made the decision to take the scouting paths established by Commander Hurricane and establish a second settlement upon them. While the wilds of Equestria were a lot more dangerous than in modern times, with timberwolves especially rampant, their efforts paid off in the form of a farming and fishing settlement being established further down the coast in 271 FE to further support a pony population. In 303 FE it was officially named the town of Vanhoover and by 419 FE it had established itself as early Equestria's primary source of food.

Exploration across the grasslands to the east proceeded more slowly as countless outposts and rest stops sprung up along the frontier routes. In 947 FE the explorer Neighagra reached the waterfalls in the center of north Equestria that bear her name today. Newly developed prospecting techniques resulted in the discovery of natural minerals that had been exhausted in the west. Ponies flocked to the area in search of trade or work and in 995 FE enough of a permanent establishment had been set up in the area to found the town of Whinnyapolis. Further exploration east was restricted by marshlands and so explorers turned north and south.

It was around this time that the ruling council method that had led Equestria since its foundation began to suffer from the same flaws that had befallen it when used by the former pony tribes. Disagreements on the correct way to lead resulted in several years of stagnation, though the leaders of the time ultimately did not fall into the trap that had cost their ancestors their homelands and put the question of the path they should take to the public. Ultimately, the calls for an elected monarch won out by an overwhelming majority and on August 13th, 1002 FE, the earth pony Forged Path became the first queen of Equestria.

In 1474 FE, prospectors began mapping the Foal mountains that at the time marked Equestria's southern border. While most of the mountain range was only found to contain basic minerals, the westernmost mountain contained a seemingly unthinkable number of gems, the largest discovery of their kind since the Crystal Mountains were charted in 1246 FE. Under the order of Queen Incandescence, a unicorn mining outpost was quickly established at the base of the mountain. The speed of it's foundation and how rapidly work proceeded in the mountain led to it being named Canterlot.

Through all their time and discoveries, Equestrians had always wondered if there were any other forms of sapient life in these lands. Their answer came on January 9th, 1991 FE when a pegasus exploration team lead by Captain Squall encountered a race of crystalline, pony like beings just beyond the Crystal Mountains. While they were unable to follow up due to a lack of supplies, the discovery led to decades of further expeditions that came to a head in 2062 FE when the earth pony Gleaming Guard came face to face with a crystal pony. Aside from their unique body structure, they were very much like normal ponies and further contact between the races ultimately lead to ponykind making a proper first contact with the Crystal Kingdom and their home in the Crystal City on May 3rd, 2113 FE.

By 2254 FE, Equestria had established regular trade with the Crystal Kingdom. Under their current leadership of unicorn King Sunburst and Queen Snow Shine of the earth ponies, Equestria had seen a period of welcome stability. While the borders of the nation remained the same as they had for some time, the crystal mountains to the north, Equis and Vanhoover to the west, Whinnyapolis to the east and Canterlot to the south, ponies had spread beyond those bounds and it seemed that new towns would be appearing any time now. A stable economy had been established and quality of life was constantly increasing. Many civilians thought this was the beginning of a golden age for their kind.

On April 1st, 2255, a group of unicorn explorers investigating what is now the Everfree Forest came across a being unlike any they had seen before. On that day, the Foundation Era came to an end and the Time of Chaos (TC) began.

---

To this day, nopony is sure where Discord came from, or why he was there. Many of the historical records of this time were lost in his initial move against Equestria, though it is generally agreed that his domination over ponykind was firmly established by 3 TC. Ponies did their best to flee from Discord's reign of chaos, resulting in the foundation of the towns of Tall Tale and Manehatten in 29 TC and 95 TC respectively. Ultimately however, it seemed nowhere in Equestria was safe from the power of disharmony and earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns alike were powerless to stop it continuing for eternity...

However, it seemed fate had other plans.

On November 23rd, 385 TC, a miner at the border town of Canterlot excavated what surviving reports describe as 'A shining jewel at the heart of the mountain, a pair of the most radiant and beautiful figures visible at its core'. The figures vanished several seconds later and while it has never been explicitly confirmed, it is commonly believed that the two figures were none other than Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. The incident was largely unknown by ponykind, though those aware of its happening clung to it as a sign of hope that there was something better coming.

On September 24th, 393 TC, Celestia and Luna appeared again at Discord's current base of operations in Tall Tale. Witnesses to the scene described an unparalleled power at work as the two simply marched upon the mad tyrant and turned him to stone within a minute of their arrival. With their task complete and the power of disharmony steadily fading across the land, the two disappeared as quickly as they arrived. Equestria found itself weary, strained, but ultimately unbroken. Some semblance of normality returned with the coronation of King Light Trick in 395 TC and Equestria began the long road to recovery. A recovery that was nearly halted once again in 414 TC when the centaur Tirek arrived in Equestria, intent on stealing the magic of ponykind for himself. Though he quickly vanished as soon as he appeared, with it being revealed millennia later that Celestia and Luna were responsible for his banishment, it did little to ease the nerves of many ponies.

The Crystal Kingdom had come through the reign of Discord without drawing much of his ire and their monarch of the time, Queen Glimmer, was quick to re-establish contact with Equestria and provide whatever aid they could. In 422 TC, Prince Shockwave of the unicorns and Prince Amber Glow of the Crystal ponies solidified relations by negotiating a joint effort to explore the mountains north of the two nations. While it helped bring both nations together, it almost proved their undoing. In 439 TC, the two princes were leading one such expedition when they made first contact with the Yaks. The specifics of the meeting are lost to time, but only a wounded Shockwave returned, decrying a race of savages that had slain the Crystal Prince. The Yaks seemingly had further intentions though, they gathered their strength and marched on both Equestria and the Crystal Kingdom, beginning the Contact War in 476 TC.

The Yaks were technologically lacking behind ponies but had the sheer strength and military numbers to compensate. Initial military engagements resulted in crushing defeats for Equestria and by 479 TC a horde was marching upon the capital itself. Realising that they could not stand or run as single options. King Emerald Glory and Queen Rainbow Flash elected to march against the Yaks with every pony willing to join them in order to buy everypony else time to evacuate. The battle of Equis occurred on March 29th of that year, a site of many legends being forged among ponies, the most prominent being that the first sonic rainboom was performed in that battle. The only solid facts remaining are that by March 31st, both had fallen in battle and the first capital of Equestria had been razed.

While their sacrifice had given Equestria time to prepare, it had merely slowed the Yaks march. In 494 TC both the Crystal City and the new Equestrian capital of Whinnyapolis were both under threat. Both lands were approaching breaking point with Queen Onyx of the Crystal ponies becoming more isolated and focused on her own lands while the newly crowed King Sunlight Heart of the earth ponies was inexperienced, taking the throne at thirteen after Queen Shamrock was crippled in battle. When it seemed that both nations were set to be brought to their knees, Celestia and Luna reappeared and approached the Yaks. Without inflicting a single casualty they turned the Yaks back and sent them into a retreat that did not end until they had returned to their city-state of Yakyakistan, all within a few months. Many ponies considered them all powerful unicorn gods after both this act and their actions against Discord, which is believed to be the origin of the term Alicorn.

When peace was finally agreed between the three nations in 495 TC. Queen Onyx severely curtailed contact with Equestria, claiming that her nation of boundless strength had held the Yaks at bay and claimed all lands north of Equestria as the territory of the Crystal Empire. Post-war Equestria was in no condition to argue and its inhabitants instead implored the two alicorns to stay this time, if only long enough for them to know who had saved them twice. Celestia and Luna both ultimately agreed to remain in Equestria and protect it. The people were quick to cite the two as more than their saviours, claiming they were more fitting to lead than the line of rulers who had failed to protect their homes and lives.

Determined to make the most of what was left of his reign, King Sunlight Heart was quick to rebuild the west of Equestria that had fallen in the Contact War, able to save Vanhoover and Tall Tale as major settlements but unable to return to Equis as it now lay within Crystal Empire territory. He also announced that Canterlot, the site where the two alicorns had first appeared, would be where a fitting castle for his inevitable successors would be built. Despite their reluctance to take up such a mantle, Celestia and Luna eventually bowed to the will of the public and agreed to lead Equestria.

On January 1st, 508 TC, the Time of Chaos came to an end when Sunlight Heart, last king of Equestria, gave his final decrees. That the fledgling city and newly constructed castle of Canterlot would be the new capital of Equestria and abdicated his throne to the now crowned Princesses Celestia and Luna. As the two Alicorns took to their new responsibilities, the Age of Advancement (AA) had begun.

---

The first test of the two sisters' reign came in 6 AA when an attempt to chart the seas east of Manehatten resulted in ponies making first contact with the griffons. Despite many ponies being somewhat distrustful and xenophobic after the Time of Chaos, the leader of the expedition, the pegasus Soarin, was able to keep initial tensions from boiling over. Princess Luna took over the role of negotiator once news of the meeting made its way back to Canterlot and by 15 AA, Queen Gilly of the nation of Griffosis welcomed Equestria as a distant but friendly land.

As time passed, and ponies began to move on from the hardships of the Contact War, Equestria began to return to the motivations it had not seen since the heyday of the Foundation Era. The resource rich lands to the south of the current borders were found to be uninhabited and Manehatten's rapid growth due to its position as a trade port with Griffosis resulted in further coastal towns and cities being founded along the east coast. The most prominent were Fillydelphia in 94 AA and Baltimare in 746 AA. Explorers along the west coast were stymied by the presence of the Smokey Mountains and San Palomino Desert, but the pegasi were able to make the most of the area and founded the combined ground and cloud city of Los Pegasus in 536 AA, a milestone that would play a much larger role for Equestria as a whole, in time.

By 200 AA, Equestria had entered something of a golden age. The economy was stronger than ever, thanks in part to the establishment of the bit as a national currency in 164 AA. A new standardised calendar system had been set up that is still used to this day, with the new year marked on January 1st. Many of the underlying racial tensions that had silently plagued the land for millennia had been eradicated and national security felt higher than ever. Many ponies credited these successes to the princesses, though both Celestia and Luna were quick to praise all their subjects for their more significant parts in response. That said, when they elected to construct a second castle in the Everfree Forest, there were few objections. The Castle of the Two Sisters was completed in 208 AA and became a symbol of both the princesses power and their separation from regular ponies, as it was the place they raised and lowered the sun and moon each day.

In 741 AA, Equestria was surprised by the sight of an envoy from the Crystal Empire arriving in Whinnyapolis. After centuries of isolation, King Amber Glow of the Crystal ponies had managed to convince his subjects to reopen diplomatic relations with their neighbours. The timing ended up being a bonus neither nation had foreseen. Princess Luna and King Amber Glow remained in private contact until the day of their planned meeting to discuss their nations futures, which aroused her suspicions when he arrived up in Canterlot at the same time he was sending a letter from the Crystal City. The subsequent detainment and questioning was Equestria's first contact with the Changelings. However, it also served to bring Equestria and the Crystal Empire back together as they conducted a ten-year joint operation to study, uncover and remove any changelings that had already infiltrated their lands. It was a rousing success, changelings would not be reported in either land again for over fourteen hundred years.

In 950 AA, news reached Equestria that the Griffosis capital had come under attack by the creature Arimaspi. Princess Celestia immediately deployed a pegasi guard squadron led by Captain Jetstream to provide any aid they could. When they reached Griffonstone though, they found the fighting over and the capital palace in ruin. The pegasi did their best to join the recovery efforts and team member Solar Winds gained notable acclaim by proving herself instrumental in the rescue of King Guto from the wreckage. They were ultimately unable to help the griffons recover themselves after the Idol of Boreas was lost in the attack and the guards returned to Equestria, leaving behind a nation strong in stature but broken in spirit. Ponykind could only watch as Griffosis fractured and tore itself apart, reduced to the scattered Griffon Territories by 1138 AA

In 1006 AA, a series of errors within the pegasi weather management resulted in a major drought across the land. The princesses were unable to intervene as, for all their power, spontaneous creation of any element was beyond them. Dozens of farming communities suffered with the water shortages and while a food shortage was never a real threat due to the existence of grass, many ponies were left unsatisfied and with widespread discontent. It was then that Humble Flow, a cloud worker descended from the architects of Los Pegasus, came up with the idea of a pegasus city entirely based in the clouds to manage weather production. It would be an easier source of the necessary resources and could be mobile to spread its effects where needed. The idea was jumped on with aplomb and on September 14th, 1008 AA, the city of Cloudsdale was officially completed and began weather production. While the techniques would still take decades to perfect, the concept paid off and the drought came to an end the following year.

The event that many historians mark as the ultimate beginning of the end for the Age of Advancement came in 1132 AA when a contingent of earth ponies crossed from the Patchwalk Mountains on the northeast coast of Equestria and attempted to settle the Grittish Isles, a group of islands off the east coast that had been long considered griffon territory. Despite their division, the griffons nearly reunited against Equestria, claiming the move was a violation of deals between ponies and griffons that dated back a millennia. Princess Celestia was ultimately able to sate the griffons with the agreement that the islands would remain recognised as griffon land and any ponies settled there would abide by their laws. When the last signs of griffon unity fell apart six years later, the ponies on the islands rushed to secure their position and found a proper settlement. The Grittish Isles retained their name as a small mark of respect and ponykind had gained the town of Trottingham, but the move left the Princesses worried for the harmony of their little ponies, fearful that the peace would not last much longer.

Sadly, they were right in ways worse than either Princess Celestia or Princess Luna could have imagined.

On November 3rd, 1161 AA, the continent was rocked to its very core by news that Queen Osmium II of the Crystal Empire had been assassinated and a one pony coup of the entire empire had been enacted by a previously unknown pony that called themselves King Sombra. Before Equestria had had time to absorb the news, Princesses Celestia and Luna had rushed toward the empire. Nopony knows the reasons for their intensity or immediate reaction. Two days later, the princesses returned with grim news. Sombra had been defeated and his spirit banished, but his precautions prior to their arrival meant that Crystal City, and with it the entire populace of the empire, had been lost, vanished from the world until the dark king's curses wore down enough for it to return, though at the time everypony believed it was gone forever. Worse still, Princess Luna's demeanour had changed in the aftermath, becoming increasingly more agitated and secluded. Though nopony knew what was coming, many found themselves bracing for the worst.

On June 15th, 1167 AA, the worst came in the form of what would be known as the Great Celestia-Luna Rift. A number of heated clashes of words between the two princesses over the previous years gave way to physical aggression and Princess Luna disappeared, engulfed by the resent within her and transformed into the wicked mare of darkness, Nightmare Moon. For days the land of Equestria, the entire world, was plunged into darkness as the mare blocked the light of the sun with the moon and any power it held with her magic. Princess Celestia repeatedly fought, with words, magic and her own hooves, to try and bring her fallen sister back from the brink. But darkness also brought madness, and Nightmare Moon swore that she would be the sole ruler of a world blanketed in eternal night.

On the night of June 20th, Princess Celestia chased Nightmare Moon to the Castle of the Two Sisters. Out of options as the two clashed once more, reducing the castle to ruin in the process, the princess unveiled a weapon that she had prayed she would never need to use again, one that had lain dormant since 393 TC, a group of relics known to all as the Elements of Harmony. Within minutes, Nightmare Moon was overwhelmed and, in the hardest act of her millennia long reign, Princess Celestia banished her sister from the world, sealing her spirit within the moon, seemingly forever. While Equestria celebrated the defeat of evil, the princess lowered the moon for the first time and left the destroyed castle, refusing to join the celebrations.

As the sun began its rise that day, the Celestial Era (CE) began with it.

---

Equestria recovered quickly from the effects of Nightmare Moon's actions and within years many felt the new peace was even more welcome that the one before. Princess Celestia herself never commented on such matters, though she never objected either, not even when a public motion to move the Equestrian new year to mark the date of her victory was passed in 4 CE. Ponies were content to let her recover in the meantime and formed the EUP Guard for her protection in 1 CE, a group who's influence can be felt even today thanks to its formation of the Wonderbolts after the first Summer Sun Celebration in 2 CE.

With their homes secure, ponies began looking south again. While central Equestria had never been fully settled beyond Canterlot, the natural drive for exploration led them as far south as Macintosh Hills and Hayseed Swamps. Even the hardiest of explorers refused to enter the Badlands of the southeast however, merely citing that the whole area 'felt wrong, tainted'. They eventually settled for frontier towns in the sandy lands of the south, forming the town of Appleloosa in 348 CE. With Equestria now a sprawling land far removed from its original sites, ponykind made the most of new technological advancements to begin construction of the Equestria Rail Network in 392 CE, a project that now reaches into every major settlement in Equestria and continues onto neighbouring lands.

While further settlement down the coasts was only met with limited success, it was not without its merits. In 446 CE a naval cartography group that had set out from the west coast outpost of Sepia encountered an unknown group of boats with hulking bipedal figures onboard. Initial struggles with translation almost turned the situation violent until an earth pony by the name of Great Sea managed to piece together enough of their language to defuse the situation. Equestria had made its first contact with the minotaurs, further contact would lead ponies to their home in the Mintoris Islands and their capital of Orlon. Trade was established between Orlon and Los Pegasus by 455 CE, securing another peaceful treaty for ponies and helping the pegasus city reach its current status as the jewel of the south.

In 514 CE, a small, fresh farming community in central Equestria made a discovery that would ultimately begin a pivotal chain of events that would affect the entire world. The discovery of the Zap Apple and the resultant products lead to settlers and investors flocking to the area to lay new ground. The end result came in 529 CE with the official foundation of Ponyville. Though its proximity to the Everfree Forest prevented any serious growth, the close knit community quickly led to it becoming known as one of the most harmonious places in Equestria, no small feat considering the nation's reputation for peace over the previous centuries.

In 848 CE, shortly after the founding of Dodge Junction, explorers that were trailblazing for potential routes south of Equestria came across a town that marked two borders before them. Their approach to the locals was met peacefully and the town of Wahje was soon made open to ponies, allowing for peaceful contact with both inhabitants, the zebras and saddle arabians. A rail link was completed in 882 CE and trade of goods and culture soon flowed between all three nations, Equestria, Saddle Arabia and Zebahi. To this day, nopony has yet set hoof in the zebra capital of Arkow that sits locked deep within the jungles of the south, though the more arid saddle arabian capital of Sahurma is within easier reach.

On November 27th, 981 CE, the next significant event in the shaping of Equestria as it is today occurred with the birth of the unicorn Rarity. As important as she has become to Equestria, there were others just like her that would come into the world soon after. Fluttershy on June 5th, Twilight Sparkle on Feburary 26th 982, Rainbow Dash on May 13th, Pinkie Pie on August 14th 983 and Applejack on October 10th. While the impact these six mares have had on our world has been far beyond anypony's expectations, back then they were regular fillies and the eyes of Equestria were focused on somepony else.

In 982 CE, Princess Celestia had taken on a new apprentice, a pegasus by the name of Cadance. In 988 CE the seventeen year old student joined her mentor, the Princess, for a diplomatic council taking place in Wahje. Details of the meeting have been classified ever since, but upon their return to Equestria, Cadance had been transformed into an alicorn with greater knowledge of love than anypony alive. Her appearance sent Equestria into a furore not seen since the beginning of the era as ponies hailed the return of a second princess, a fact that was not lost on Princess Celestia as she became notably more melancholy for several months afterward.

A little known but highly important event occurred on July 1st, 989 CE that historians now refer to as the Elemental Catalyst. The trigger for the event is far more widely known, the first recorded sonic rainboom in modern history, performed by a six year old Rainbow Dash. A presentation by Princess Twilight Sparkle in 2 FP revealed that the rainboom also acted as a trigger for the events that allowed all six of the Elements of Harmony to gain their cutie marks within the next few days and notably saw Twilight Sparkle become the next student of Princess Celestia. The bond between the six of them would become even more pounced in time and ultimately have long lasting effects for the world.

The events of 1000 CE could fill a history book on their own. The most well known occurred on new years day, the Summer Sun Celebration on June 20th that saw the return of Nightmare Moon from her banishment. By the time dawn rose, the being of darkness had been defeated for good, the mortal representations of the Elements of Harmony had come into being and Princess Luna had been returned to this world, shaken but herself once more.

---

In this day, historians are divided by current events. The ascension of Twilight Sparkle to becoming both an Alicorn and a Princess on February 16th, 1000 CE sees a split over whether this is simply another major event of its time or marks the end of the Celestial Era in favour of the Time of the Four Princesses (FP). All that can be agreed on is that there are still many events to come in our land of Equestria.

-Excerpt from the records of Time Stamp, Royal Historian circa 1003 CE/3 FP

Author's Note:

I take my world building seriously.

Also, before anyone says about the familiar names in there, even Equestria has its historical heroes that ponies would want to name their foals after.

Comments

[Comickook]

Not much I can say other than excellent job on the information in this history lesson chapter. I particularly liked the designations of the eras and the reasons for them.