Anno Equestria: A Brief History of the Pony Nation

by Insert Pen Name

Building a Nation

Anno Equestria
A Brief History of the Pony Nation
A FiM fic by (Insert Pen Name)

Building a Nation
AE1-15

With the coming of the first spring in Equestria, Chancellor Puddinghead, Princess Platinum, and Commander Hurricane convened a grand summit, where they resolved to immediately begin constuction a new capital for their fledgling nation. From a practical standpoint, such an endeavour was most ill-advised; supplies of food and medicine were dangerously low, and while there was no shortage of skilled labour among the refugees, tools were scarce, infrastructure was non-existent, and the land itself was largely unexplored. Many of their advisers were quick to discourage the idea, arguing that efforts should instead be devoted towards securing supplies and resources to provide for the refugees. The three leaders were adamant in their decision, however, and in mid-spring, a large labour force was gathered, and ground was broken on the edge of what we now call the Everfree Forest. The city-to-be was named Canterlot (or Old Canterlot, as we now know it), and work began without delay.

There was in fact a subtle pragmatism behind the immediate founding of Canterlot. Though the horrors of the Long Winter were behind them, many ponies were still restless and ill at ease after their long ordeal. Morale was low among the refugees, and the three leaders realised that it was only a matter of time before their idle subjects descended back into their old prejudices and turned against one another. The construction of a new city offered an ideal solution; a shining goal for all of Ponykind to aspire to, and an expansive labour project to keep the masses occupied and cooperative.

The construction of Canterlot proved a far greater task than anypony had initially realised. The site’s proximity to the Forest provided easy access to timber and forage, but not to stone or iron. New quarries and mines had to be established in the surrounding hills, and roads had to be laid to transport stone and ore to the construction site. On top of that, the refugees still needed to be fed, so fields, mills, and graneries were needed as well. There was so much infrastructure to be established that very little actual city construction took place in the first two years after Canterlot’s founding. It wasn't until the summer of AE2 that the first cornerstones were laid.

While the working ponies toiled to bring Canterlot to realisation, the powerful and elite of the three races gathered together to establish how their new unified nation would be governed. This was no mere private brainstorming session; literally every pony of political prominence who had survived the Exodus, nearly 800 in total, were gathered in a sheltered dell just outside Canterlot (spectators likely numbered even more). Though the intent was for a civilized dialogue on the issue, tensions soon flared up as the former tribes vied to secure power and voice in the government-to-be. As a result, the council dragged on for months before an agreement was finally reached.

From the start, it was unanimously agreed that Puddinghead, Hurricane, and Platinum should continue their roles as Heads of State, now collectively known under the title of Triumvirate. Forming the actual governing body, however, proved rather more problematic. The main conflict was between the Earth-Ponies, who desired a democratic system of elected representatives, and what remained of the Unicorn nobility, who were loath to surrender their long-held positions of power and prestige. The Pegasi, for their part, generally disliked either system, opting instead for a powerful and decisive leadership that could take direct action in times of crisis. Eventually, the Earth-Ponies and the Pegasi managed to reach acompromise wherein the main governing body would remain democratic, but would in turn appoint an effectual Head of State. With the majority now against them, the Unicorn nobles continued to resist to the last as a whole, but individually they began exploring alternative avenues of power. In the final weeks of the council, many Unicorn nobles quietly established themselves as landowners, merchant lords, local governors, and (most begrudgingly) parliamentary candidates. The first elections were held in the summer of AE4, though Parliament itself would not form until more than a year later.

Canterlot was officially completed in the autumn of AE5. Puddinghead herself laid the final stone in the city walls amidst much pomp and ceremony, and Pony Parliament was convened for the first time. It’s first act was to formally establish the Triumvirate as Equestria's official Heads of State. While the concept of three equal leaders of each race ruling together was never formally entered into the Equestrian constitution, the selection of a Triumvirate remained a parliamentary tradition right up until the Lost Years, and the subsequent coronation of the Princesses. The First Triumvirate reigned until the year AE42, when Commander Hurricane died, and Platinum and Puddinghead resigned out of respect.

From the beginning, Canterlot underwent a tremendous period of economic and cultural growth. The census of AE6 marked the city’s resident population at just over 60,000; by AE15, that number had more than doubled. For the first time in pony history, all three races were now living together in one city as equals, though unicorns still comprised a disproportionate percentage of the city's urban population. The completion of Canterlot marked the start of a golden age in Equestria, and pony civilization thrived once more with the city at its shining centre. With so many different ponies living together, Canterlot became very much the cultural and intellectual centre of Equestria, as well as the political capital. Art and learning flourished, and for hundreds of years, no other city in Equestria could compare.

It was also the most violent city of its time...

Comments

[EvilTaco7655]

ooh violence dis going to be gooood!! Also make it longer if you can but still good

[djthomp]

Fascinating, I don't think I've seen anything quite like this.

[BenRG]

In some ways, the founding of Old Canterlot was a smarter act than it initially seemed. It created the impetus to fast-track the necessary industrial and agricultural infrastructure to support the transplanted pony civilisation.

Many fanfic writers suggest that the Unicorn nobility resent their lost power and privilege to this day and only their awe of the Alicorns restrains them from trying to overtly seize power. As it stands, their wealth and social influence means that they have very effectively corrupted the parliament, something that angers the Princesses to no end. Ironically, this has only served to further strengthen the Alicorns' position as neutral and universally-respected rulers whose probity is beyond question and counteracts the corruption of parliament.