Anno Equestria: A Brief History of the Pony Nation

by Insert Pen Name

The Noble Resurgence*

Throughout history, no group has endured quite like the Equestrian nobility. From the start, the nobility's very existence has been challenged by social upheavals and popular reform, and yet they have always managed to survive in some form or another to rise again.

At the start of the fourteenth century, the nobility was very different from both its Unicorn origins, and the modern elite with which we are familiar. Centuries of political reform had reduced the nobility to little more than a cultural relic, and intermarriage with other races and families had diluted their bloodlines to the point where any noble's attempt to claim a "pure" lineage was laughable, even to other nobles. Most noble families had long since lost their avenues of wealth and power, and, as a result, many had become virtually indistinguishable from their common neighbours.

All this changed with the introduction of the gold bit. By AE1320, bits had effectively overturned the old barter system in Equestria. While coinage was nothing new to pony civilization, this was the first time that a standard currency was in widespread use. The rise of money over material goods created new opportunities for the savvy businesspony, and it wasn't long before several noble families took advantage of this fact. In AE1339, the first bank was opened in Canterlot by the Silver family, and by AE1345, over a dozen other families followed their example, opening multiple bank branches in several cities. Other nobles, inspired by the dynamism of their peers, poured their renewed energy into other, more traditional money-making efforts, and many became very wealthy indeed through trade, land-ownership, and resource speculation.

By AE1350, the nobility had once again become practically synonymous with money and opulence. Rivalries soon sprouted between the various families and their competing businesses, and a new culture of wealth emerged as they vied to display their fortunes and splendour. Grand mansions, extravagant feasts and parties, expensive clothes, and public patronage all became the norm for those of noble standing. Not surprisingly, it was at this point that the nobility began to distance itself from the common ponies, creating a social gulf that continues to this day. Through it all, the nobility never ceased its drive for wealth and power. By the start of the fifteenth century, noble families were ruling entire cities with their wealth, funding such civic necessities as government salaries, public works, and even city guards.

This last, worrisome aspect of noble power was made possible by the effects of the bit on Equestria's military. Prior to the introduction of the bit, Equestria had relied on grain surpluses and other benefits to pay its armies. The bit offered a much more agreeable method of payment, especially since the bulk of Equestria's military were militias, who were paid only a modest salary in times of peace; just enough to entice any pony looking to supplement their income. However, with the resurgence of the nobility, a new demand was created for private household guards. It soon became common practise for prospective guards to join the Militia, undergo training, and then hire themselves out to whichever family was hiring, thus receiving payment from both their noble employers and the Equestrian government. It wasn't long before the noble families began hiring these mercenaries out as city guards. Thus, the nobles of Equestria were being paid by local taxpayers to provide security that was already on the government's payroll! This irony was not lost on the average pony, and resulted in a deep resentment of the nobility and their associates in some of the larger cities.

All of this came to a head in AE1441, in an event known as the Trottingham Incident. At the time, there were two noble families controlling Trottingham, the Rubies and the Bluebloods. Both families had close ties to the government, both families had guards on the city watch, and both families fervently hated one another. The Ruby-Blueblood feud frequently dominated local politics, and it was not uncommon for their guards to clash violently in the street. It was much to everypony's shock and amazement, therefore, when a pair of young, star-crossed members of the two families announced their loving betrothal.

The rest of Trottingham eagerly encouraged the match, hoping that the union of the two families would end the feud. Unfortunately (and unsurprisingly) the two families hated each other even more as in-laws. During the wedding reception, tempers flared, until finally, after a great deal of drink had been consumed all around, a group of Blueblood youths overpowered two young Rubies and threw them into the canal from a second story window.* Enraged, the Rubies declared war on the Bluebloods, and both families gave orders for their guards to ready for battle (readers must bear in mind that the wedding reception was still going strong at this point).

Fortunately, word immediately reached Princess Celestia, who had planted informants among the two families for this very reason. The Princess flew to Trottingham without delay, accompanied only by her charioteers and several kegs of her private stock. Nopony exactly knows what happened after the Princess entered the reception hall, but when she reemerged the next morning, the kegs were dry, peace had been restored, the family guards disbanded, and choice members of each family had been adopted into the Royal Family to ward against future conflicts.

New reforms were instituted by Princess Celestia soon after. New taxes were levied against the nobility, laws were put in place to limit private patronage of civic functions and public works, and the Militia salaries were soon replaced by tax benefits instead, thus putting a swift end to the mercenary element. By AE1450, the nobility had once again been reduced to a wealthy, but ineffectual, cultural elite. Today, the nobility still enjoys tremendous wealth and influence, though few among them can claim any true political power. Nonetheless, the Noble Resurgence marked the final major turning point in the evolution of the Equestrian nobility, and ensured that they will continue to be a major facet of Equestrian society for many years to come.

* This act, known as the Defenestration of Trottingham, is now commemorated in a modestly popular local festival, and is traditionally believed to have inspired the invention of the dunk-tank.