Alaska (Steel and Bridle)
Grand Duchy of Alaska Великое Княжество Аляскинское (Russian) Großherzogtum vu Alaska (Alamannic German) | |
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 Imperial Coat of Arms
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Motto: Еди́ным ду́хом, в еди́нстве си́льны. Jedínym dúkhom, v jedínstve sílʹny ("Strong in Unity, United in Spirit") | |
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Anthem: Gimn svobódnoj Aljáski Гимн свободной Аляски ("Hymn of a Free Alaska") | |
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| Capital |
Novoarkhangelsk |
| Largest city | Nikolayevsk-Amerikansky |
| Official languages | |
| Recognized regional languages | 4 European languages, 2 Caucasian languages, 2 Turkic languages, 4 Asian languages |
| National language | Russian (de facto) |
| Ethnic groups (2020) |
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| Religion (2022) |
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| Demonym(s) | Alaskan, Aljáskinskij, Aljáskinets |
| Government |
Parliamentary executive monarchy |
• Monarch | Francis III |
| Alekséj Ivánovič Ševčénko | |
| Zemfíra Vjačeslavovna Bérija | |
| Veniamín Dobroslavovič Bednaržík | |
| Legislature | General Congress |
| Senate | |
| Alaska Duma | |
| Independence from Spain | |
• Granted | 2 September 1788 |
| 28 December 1825 | |
| 12 October 1870 | |
| 5 February 1917 | |
| 16 October 1966 | |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,478,636 km2 (957,007 sq mi) (4th) |
• Water (%) | 3.07 (as of 2015) |
| Population | |
• 2022 estimate | 32,443,056 (43rd) |
• 2017 census | 30,555,719 (44th) |
• Density | 14.36/km2 (37.2/sq mi) (175th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2022 estimate |
• Total |
 1.01 trillion ₧ (43rd) |
• Per capita |
31,161.8 ₧ (32nd) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2022 estimate |
• Total |
1.01 trillion ₧ (43rd) |
• Per capita |
31,161.8 ₧ (43rd) |
| Gini (2018) |
 40.1medium |
| HDI (2021) |
0.908 very high · 44th |
| Currency | Russian ruble (RUB, ₽) |
| Time zone | UTC−10 to −7 (See Time in Alaska) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−9 to −6 (varies) |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +90 |
| ISO 3166 code | AK |
| Internet TLD | .ak |
Alaska (Russian: Аляска, romanized: Aljáska; Aleut: Alax̂sxax̂; Iñupiaq: Alaasikaq; Alutiiq: Alas'kaaq; Tlingit: Anáaski), officially known as the Grand Duchy of Alaska (Russian: Великое Княжество Аляскинское, romanized: Velíkoje Knjážestvo Aljáskinskoje), and commonly abbreviated as the GDA (Russian: ВКА), is a sovereign state located along the Northwest Coast region of North America. The Grand Duchy is comprised of 12 krais and 1 okrug, and is bordered to the east, south-east and south by several territories of Great Britain in America, those being Hudsonland, Keshtockewan, and Oregon respectively, while being bordered by the Russian Empire to the west, through the Dezhnev Strait.
Humans first settled in Alaska around 15,000 years ago during the last Ice Age. These early inhabitants, known as the Paleo-Indians, migrated across the Bering Land Bridge from Siberia. The Indigenous peoples of Alaska cover a vast geographical area and are very diverse, including the Iñupiaq, Yup'ik, Aleut, Alutiiq, Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian, among others. Russian expeditions of exploration reached Alaska by the early 18th century, and colonial traders, especially fur-traders, soon followed. Relations between Russians and the natives were mixed, with peaceful coexistence in some areas, and violent confrontations in others. Large numbers of native Alaskans perished during the first two generations of Russian contact, primarily of Old World diseases, against which they had no immunity.
In 1784, Grigory Ivanovich Shelikhov embarked on the establishment of Russian settlements in Alaska, beginning with Shelikhovskoye in Three Saints Bay on Kodiak Island, where the Shelikhov-Golikov Company thrived on the fur trade, particularly sea otters, expanding to places like Slavorossiya in Yakutat Bay by 1795, and Sitka Sound, where Alexander Baranov laid claim to the territory in 1795, leading to the development of Novo-Arkhangelsk as the colonial capital. The Russians collaborated with indigenous traders ("promyshlenniki"), establishing a network of small settlements and monopolizing fur trade under the Russian American Company throughout the 19th century, wielding control over commerce, governance, and territorial disputes, including the delineation of borders through treaties like the Convention of 1824, which defined Alaska's northern territories and preserved Russian trading rights to the south.
During the 19th century, Alaska experienced a significant influx of Russian subjects enticed by economic prospects and abundant natural resources. The population surged with immigrants from diverse regions of the Russian Empire, including Russians, Ukrainians, Turks, Caucasians, Scandinavians, and Greeks. Seeking territorial expansion, Russia negotiated with the British Empire to acquire the Yukon Territory, culminating in the Treaty of Seward-Klokov in 1867, which also facilitated Hudson Bay Company's trading posts in Alaska and involved a substantial $5 million payment to Britain. Notably, Tsar Alexander II extended governance of Alaska to the House of Liechtenstein, appointing Prince Aloys I as Grand Duke in 1868. Under Aloys' rule, Alaska witnessed infrastructure development, economic reforms, and the establishment of large-scale mining operations that spurred the 1880 Klondike Gold Rush, attracting a diverse array of prospectors and fostering the growth of various churches in the region. This period is often referred to as the Golden Era of Alaska. The House of Liechtenstein, with their entrepreneurial spirit, played a crucial role in transforming Alaska into a prosperous society. New inland settlements sprung up, such as Rucheyk, Makarov, Doroshingrad, and Lyubovichskoy, as settlers entered via mountain passes or steamships along the Yukon River. At the same time, railroads soon expanded into the north, and old settlements like Nikolayevsk Amerikansky and Nushagak saw new life during this period as both railway and shipping hubs. At the same time, larger cities such as Novoarkhangelsk, Wrangelstat, and Slavorossiysk continued to thrive and developed into bustling trading centers, with architectural influences ranging from Russian and European to indigenous designs.
By the early 20th century, Alaska had become the prized jewel of the Russian Empire, prompting the expansion of settlements and infrastructure like Siberian railroads to bridge the gap between the empire's western borders and the flourishing colony. Recognizing Alaska's strategic importance as a Pacific gateway, the Russian government developed Vladivostok into a vital trade hub linking Alaska, Siberia, and the Empire as a whole. This expansion led to trade with neighboring countries like China, Japan, British North America, and Mejico, but also heightened tensions, especially with Japan, culminating in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, where Alaskan forces played a notable role. Under the governance of Grand Duke Aloys I, Alaska experienced social reforms during the Progressive Era, including advancements in education, healthcare, and workers' rights. The echoes of Russia's Revolution of 1905 reverberated in Alaska, fueling calls for autonomy and political representation. The October Manifesto briefly satisfied these demands with the establishment of a democratically-elected Duma in 1906, but Tsar Nicholas II's opposition led to the dissolution of the Alaskan Duma and a wave of protests and discontent among the populace.
During the Great War, Alaskans were conscripted to fight on the Eastern Front, deepening their discontent. The Russian Revolution of 1917 sparked revolutionary fervor in Alaska, leading to demands for independence. Political factions such as the Reds (aligned with Bolsheviks), Whites (supporters of the Russian Provisional Government), and Yellows (native Alaskans favoring Menshevism) emerged, each vying for control. Grand Duke Aloys declared Alaska's independence on January 17, 1917, forming the Kingdom of Alaska, met with mixed reactions among Alaskans. Tsar Nicholas II's push to reclaim Alaska ended with his abdication, leaving Alaska in a precarious situation during the Bolshevik takeover. The United American Dominions recognized Alaska's sovereignty in 1918, fostering alliances between Alaskan factions to counter Bolshevik influence, though internal divisions hindered stable governance. In 1920, the Reds, backed by Lenin's Soviet Russia, launched a military campaign to bring Alaska back under their control. The Whites and Yellows fought fiercely, but were overwhelmed by the superior numbers and resources of the Reds. In 1922, Alaska became a part of the Soviet Union as the Alaskan Soviet Socialist Republic, and were led by Konstantin Kuzmich. Land was collectivized, industries were nationalized, and political dissent was suppressed. Many Alaskan nationalist leaders were executed or exiled, and the local Orthodox Church was persecuted under the state's policy of atheism. The former King Aloys I was forced into exile, settling in New York, Columbia, UAD, where he continued to advocate for Alaskan independence from Soviet rule, before passing away in 1923. His family, however, remained in Columbia, where they took the lead of the Yellow movement, which had transformed into a monarchist movement.
In Alaska, Roman von Ungern-Sternberg emerged as a staunch anti-Bolshevik leader, rallying White Russian and native Alaskan forces, along with foreign volunteers, in a resistance against Soviet dominance during the early 1920s. Employing guerilla tactics and exploiting local discontent, von Ungern-Sternberg waged a fierce campaign, earning legendary status despite his ruthless methods. However, Soviet consolidation of power by the mid-1920s led to his capture and execution in 1925, marking a turning point as the Soviets intensified efforts to suppress dissent and enforce Sovietization policies. The level of Alaskan representation in the Supreme Soviet was unsatisfactory in the eyes of many, and fueled ongoing discontent, exacerbated by heavy-handed governance, economic challenges, and cultural suppression, particularly affecting native Alaskans. The influx of Trotskyists and the rise of the Mladorossi movement added complexity to Alaska's political landscape, with underground resistance cells forming by the late 1930s, striving for autonomy and alternative governance models amid Soviet control. Chairman Kuzmich faced significant opposition due to economic hardships, famine, and the suppression of local traditions. Anti-Soviet uprisings erupted across the Union in the early 1940s, leading to the overthrow of the Soviet Union in 1944 during the Young Russian Revolution. Seizing the moment, Alaska declared independence and established the Provisional Government of Alaska (PGA) with a coalition of nationalists, former Soviet dissenters, Trotskyists, and members of the White and Yellow factions. Innokentiy Chudov and Beniamin Gitlov emerged as key leaders, representing different visions for Alaska's future: Chudov advocated for a constitutional monarchy blending tradition and democracy, while Gitlov championed Trotskyist principles centered on workers' control and internationalism.
Tensions between the PGA and the Mladorossi government led by Alexander Kazembek intensified over differing visions for the region's future. The Mladorossi aimed to extend their monarchist ideals to Alaska, seeking to restore the monarchy and align it with the Russian Monarchist government. However, the PGA insisted on maintaining Alaska's independence. Negotiations resulted in the Petropavlovsk Accords in 1947, recognizing Alaska's independence under a constitutional monarchy while establishing diplomatic relations with Russia. Subsequent decades saw peaceful coexistence between Trotskyists and Monarchists in the Alaskan Duma, economic growth spurred by the oil boom, and political upheaval triggered by the Gorovits Affair in 1977. The scandal led to the dissolution of the Trotskyist party, paving the way for the dominance of the New Alaska Monarchist Alliance until their defeat by the Democratic Socialist Party of Alaska in 2013. Another important development in Alaska was the competition between the Alaskan Apostolic Orthodox Church (AAOC) and the Alaskan Orthodox Church - Moscow Patriarchatae (AOC-MP). Following the Bolshevik takeover of Russia, Metropolitan Anthony (Dashkievich) sought the Ecumenical Patriarchate's protection, which was accepted, granting the AAOC autonomy within the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In response, the Russian Orthodox Church established the rival AOC-MP. This resulted in a short schism in 1996, resolved briefly, with representatives from both factions agreeing on Leontiy (Kruchinkin) as the primate of the unified Orthodox Church in Alaska in 1999, merging the AAOC and AOC-MP under the Russian Orthodox Church's jurisdiction.
Since 2013, the DSPA and the NAMA parties have been the two main competitors in Alaska's political landscape. The DSPA, with its platform advocating for social justice, workers' rights, Trotskyism, and internationalism, finds its base among native Alaskans, ethnic minorities, and Socialists. NAMA, on the other hand, promotes traditional values, monarchism, and the ideology of "Ultra-Dezhnevism", which refers to the unity of Alaska and Russia as a singular cultural entity that transcends the physical boundaries of the Dezhnev Strait. The influence of Duginist neo-Eurasianism has grown within NAMA, emphasizing the importance of a strong Alaskan identity within the broader Eurasian movement. Timofiy Gennadyevich Melnychuk, leader of the right-libertarian SLOBODA! Party, emerged victorious in the 2023 election, an upset victory that disrupted the long-standing dominance of the DSPA and NAMA. Melnychuk's party, known for its pro-free market policies and anti-Communism, gained support from disillusioned voters who were seeking change in the political landscape. Melnychuk's victory gave rise to a new era marked by a shift towards neoliberal policies and a reevaluation of Alaska's relationship with Russia.
Alaska's economy ranks as the 15th-largest in the Americas and the 64th-largest in the world by GDP. Alaska is one of the world's largest oil and natural gas exporters, with one of the main drivers of its economy being the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline, which is able to pump up to 2.1 million barrels of crude oil per day. Its secondarily based on gas, fishing, forestry, tourism and agriculture. Salmon, cod, pollock and crab are the main seafood exports of Alaska, accumulating a total of 5.8 billion pounds of seafood in the 2013 fishing season. It is a member of the Shanghai [Zɑ̃̀hé] Cooperation Organisation (ZCO), the Council of the Americas, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Alaska is ranked "very high" on the Human Development Index; its population enjoys high levels of education and one of the highest life expectancies in the world.
I am aware that the population numbers are outrageous. In SAB, northern North America is much more hospitable than OTL, explaining the stratospherically higher populations.