//------------------------------//
// The Equestrian Age: 0 AD- 1010 AD (2013) 
// Story: Equestria: The Pacific Kingdom 
// by BrightIdea 
//------------------------------//

Equestrian Age (Pre European Contact Period: Reign of the Two Princesses: Early Principality of Equestria) 0 AD-1010 AD 
Equestrian Historical Quarterly (Summer 2013) by Bright Idea

This roughly thousand year period is described as following the defeat of Discord as the Alicorn Sisters put a stop to his Dance following the Battle of Fillydelphia. It marks the formation of Equestria, where following Discord's demise the Sisters formally became the rulers of Equestria through formal acceptance of their divine right to rule via all of the Equestrian polities throughout the Equestrian Valley including to an extent the Dragons and Griffons. Equestria extended throughout the Equestrian Valley to either side of the Mountains of Dusk and Dawn and slightly up the banks of the Clydes River (Columbia River). Nominally the government was something of a confederation as the previous City-States retained their old boundaries and rules of law while seceding right to rule to the Two Alicorn Sisters who rules as Princesses from their castle in the southern Equestrian Valley. The City-States were quite keen on keeping their power (especially the Pegasus Cumulopolis which had reformed as Stratus) and for this period had no major complaints about the style of the Sisters rule. 

This period is marked by a isolationist periods known as the Interim and a expansionist phase, the First Interim lasted from 0 AD-800 AD as both sisters did not care to intervene in political affairs but mostly attended to their heavenly charges and sought to bring peace between ponies. For the most part this worked until towards the end of this period when 746 AD saw increasing aggressive raids across the Clydes River by both Humans and by Diamond Dogs, but especially the latter, who sought out the wealth of Equestria and the relative technological superior products such as the steel the Equestrians were producing. This prompted a response from a coalition of City-States lead by King Puteulanus Cruor who crossed the Clydes River in 780 AD and began attacking the Diamond Dogs and hostile Human tribes. Eventually with reluctance on Celestia's behalf but urgings by Luna, the two sisters put forth their full support behind not only Puteulanus but also the Pegasi in extending Equestria's borders to include those Ponies that had settled outside of the Equestrian Valley. This expansionist phase lasted from 800 AD-1010 AD and was marked by the borders of Equestria extending to the mouth of the Clydes River, west into the Columbia Plateau (bordering the Nez Perce and Buffalo lands) and north into the Diamond Dog Hills. This saw not only Ponies but also Diamond Dogs and Humans giving allegiance to the Alicorn Sisters and the establishment of such settlements as Stalliongrad (Boise, Idaho) as Ponies migrated in greater numbers far from the Equestrian Valley. 

All though was not to last as gradually division grew and formed between the two Alicorn Sisters as the popularity and worship of Celestia grew while Luna's waned. Somesay that it was on purpose by the Rulers of the City-States who were quick to influence the older but much more praise seeking sister whereas the younger but more political truthful Luna stayed away from the special invitations and gifts sent by the City-States. The issue at hand was the neutrality of the Alicorn Sisters in the framework of Equestria, as if both or either one could be swayed by any individual or group of individuals then less popular Ponies or City-States could potentially start as Civil War. Thus over this period rulers began to enact very Daytime favorable events and decrees such as the Summer Sun Celebration and ordering works of art of Celestia and the Sun playing on Celestia's mild but goddess level vanity and quickly Luna's increasing insecurity and jealousy. Gradually between the two sisters it became a popularity contest that blinded both sisters to real concerns over the increasingly static political atmosphere of Equestria as the Rulers of Equestria used the opportunity to oppress Ponies, Humans, Buffalo, and Dogs alike. 

It had to end with one of the Sisters totally refusing the other and surprisingly it was Luna who crumbled first, refusing to end her Night and taking on the much more dominant and in-control persona of Nightmare Moon which grew out of a meager jealousy to a fullblown dark hatred that shocked even Celestia. Celestia though realized what was happening in the bonds between her and Luna too late as the Elements of Harmony erupted deep within their castle sending up waves of energy that destroyed part of the castle and created beasts such as the Manticore and Hydra as well as the Everfree Forest that suddenly sprang up and wiped out the Unicorn city of Hipposvilla (eventually Earth Pony settlers managed to cut away sections of the Everfree Forrest and found the town of Ponyville). Celestia knew that there was only one way to stop the release of energy and power from the Elements of Harmony and that was to harness their energy, which she did quickly engaging Nightmare Moon in a battle across the nighttime sky of Equestria eventually banishing her corrupted sister to the Moon for a thousand years in hopes to dispell both her sister's dark power and the negative energy from the Elements of Harmony. 

Following this Celestia changed, refusing the wishes of the City-State Rulers she stood alone but above their rule and gradually began to dissolve their power. This new period would see Equestria united under a much more centralized role and downgraded the former independent Rulers of Equestria into the Thoroughbred, the Aristocracy of Equestria who while still owning large amounts of land would become powerless. This next period for Equestria would be known as the Late Principality Period and would end with the arrival of Europeans into Equestria and the common misconception of the Kingdom of Equestria.