Strings of Fate: Illuminating the Past (ι)
Strings of Fate: Illuminations
This historical data was compiled and published by General (retired) Vance and Chancellor Twilight Sparkle. The following information is NOT guaranteed to be objective truth, but is merely an educated guess. Speculative information dates back as far as evidence suggests. Note that these excerpts do not comprise the entire text, but give a brief summarization, as Chancellor Sparkle’s enthusiasm towards intricate details has rendered the completed text book dodecatupled (x12) the size of this summary.
Age of Colonization:
All information is that which has been passed down orally or through architecture. The extent of our written knowledge does not have anything regarding times prior to these. This was the time in which the lands ponies previously occupied were corrupted by the windigoes, ushered in by the disharmony spawned by the rampant pride of the three separate pony tribes. Somehow being able to get past their differences, they formed a tenuous truce as they settled Equestria, ushering in the Age of the Ancients.
Age of the Ancients:
Based on archeological dig sites in the Ancient Wastes, there was a time preceding both Celestia’s rule as well as the existence of Discord. The few surviving pieces of literature suggest that this was a Feudal time period where ponies were loyal to their city of residence. The majority of these cities were razed during the First Great Pony War, but much of their outline and infrastructure remains intact, well preserved under the ice. With such limited capability to study these ruins fully, information is still being compiled on ancient pony cultures, technology, and tactics. This was also the Age during which alicorns had been rediscovered, having been previously believed to have existed solely in mythology. Alicorns were noted for their self-sufficiency, proficiency in creating and storing massive quantities of knowledge, and complete unwillingness to share any of it. Entire alicorns settlements lived in highly secure and isolated monasteries, removed from regular pony society. In keeping with Feudalism, loyalties were often divided based on affiliation to their city of inhabitance and to which particular figure(s) of authority they served. Although class tension in pre-Celestia eras often ran high, and indeed the earth ponies were most often subjected to serfdom, pegasi filling the warrior class, and unicorns composing the intellectuals, there are examples where earth ponies became merited warriors and (even more uncommonly) part of the ruling classes, pegasi being relegated to manual labor or becoming politicians, or unicorns taking more physically demanding jobs. The political landscape was tenuous and constantly shifting. Two close allies could end up going to war with each other if a certain figurehead was killed or relations had been negatively affected in some other way, or even for trivialities. Several recovered equiscripts believed to have been owned by several ruling class members showed that they held immense powers and frequently did not have the responsibility to properly wield them. Skirmishes were fought over trivial matters, with one infamous example of a feigned siege as a joke, consequentially resulting in the deaths of several hundred ponies. During this age, many of the roadways we now use for frequent transport are established, several of them becoming the basis for our mass transit systems. The Age came to an end when suddenly all of Equestria imploded into warfare.
First Great Pony War:
It is unknown what had initially sparked the First Great Pony War, but whatever the cause, the result was a bloodbath. In the Cantarlautian Fields, the grasslands below what would later become Canterlot, a large-scale battle had taken place on a riverbank. Large quantities of áloga skeletal remains and primitive weaponry are still being found, and this singular event is likely what culminated in the creation of Discord, though there are other standing theories. All the disunity and malevolence that had been sparked by the battle were, likely through some unknown magic, made manifest into the only known example of a chimera-like creature sometimes referred to as a draconequus: Discord. Whether Discord had come into existence fully matured or not is debatable, but the result is the same, with Discord bringing an end to the First Great Pony War, the Age of the Ancients, and beginning a new era of chaos and disorder.
Age of Discord:
After Discord had come into existence, he had set about establishing his absolute authority, most likely by simply destroying all forms of organized resistance. Analysis of the ice sheets suggest that Discord (either intentionally or not) expanded the area being coated in endless winter initially created by the windigoes. The weakened Feudal kingdoms were no match for the new onslaught, easily being cowed into submission, though after sustaining massive casualties regardless. Alicorn monasteries were later discovered eerily abandoned, the infrastructure and possessions intact, but with no trace of their former inhabitants. It is presumed the entire subspecies was condemned to extinction at this time. Centers of population were further devastated, many becoming abandoned ruins, and much of the population fled to far-flung areas, sometimes to other continents. This had the unintended benefit of setting up nations that would later aid in the Second Great Pony War, as well as jumpstarting colonization efforts of the then-uninhabitable Glade and the mostly untouched Shire. It was in the small settlement known as Bethlehoof of the Shire that the alleged parents of the Celestial bloodline fled to. According to legend, a figure, most commonly described as a cream-colored alicorn with crimson hair, and most commonly identified as the “Author of Creation" visited the family, and was the reason for the conception of the Celestial bloodline. The most intriguing part of this tale is that this is one of the extremely few instances where the Author contacts a mortal, and that She created the Celestial bloodline through peasant earth ponies, the mother of whom was purportedly barren. Skeptics have always challenged the legitimacy of this story, but have as of yet been incapable of compiling enough evidence to either confirm or disprove such events occurred. Regardless, over the next several decades, Celestia and Luna gathered the primitive manifestations of the Elements of Harmony and utilized them to, at long last, turn Discord to stone and forge a new empire on the ashes of the old. The origin of the Elements of Harmony are also shrouded in mystery, but are believed to be connected to The Author. As the legends go, She appeared to Celestia and Luna at numerous intervals, guiding their young lives until they were primed to topple the fascist regime oppressing their people.
First Age of Harmony:
Celestia and Luna establish themselves as co-rulers over the new state of Equestria, declaring themselves Princesses, and amassing a large majority of the displaced population of ponies as followers. Sometime after this, dissenters branch off and leave to form other nations, such as the Republic of Prance and the city-state of Dyrrachium. Under Celestia and Luna’s rule, the city of Canterlot is constructed as a seat of government, strategically situated near the heart of Equestria and at a highly defensible location. The establishment of Canterlot is an important part in the construction of Equestrian national identity, and its placement became a visible rally to all Equestrians, keeping their morale unbroken in times of war. Study of the magical arts flourish and new uses of the untapped element further served to bring Equestria closer to becoming a world power.
Age of Diurnality:
As we have all been taught in school, Princess Celestia came to be sole ruler over Equestria by banishing Princess Luna, who had become corrupted into Nightmare Moon, to the moon for 1000 years, though at some point this was changed to “eternity,” most likely to instill confidence in Equestria that such a threat could not return. Celestia assumed all authorities left vacant by Princess Luna, turning Equestria into essentially a totalitarian state. Although recent files dug up in the Canterlot archives suggest this time was one of political repression, it was also one of vast expansion. Several new settlements, such as Ponyville, were founded in this era. Locomotives were invented, as was the mass transit system. Generally the economic focus began to spread inland, further spurring growth there, though at the cost of several coastal cities that had to adjust to the decreased influx of resources. The 1,000 years of Celestia as sole ruler are an irreconcilable part of Equestrian history, and show the best and worst faces a dictatorship can have. Celestia’s unchallenged rule meant development of industry was accelerated several decades ahead of normal progression, but at the expense of opposing ideological groups and the suffering of both agriculture and the general economy.
Second Age of Harmony:
After Princess Luna’s 1,000 year banishment had come to pass, at first it seemed like the end of the world. Nightmare Moon had returned, Celestia had gone missing for an indeterminable amount of time, and the tales of the Elements of Harmony had passed into mythos and lore. Yet in her darkest hour, six ponies rose to the occasion, revealing themselves to be new, living hosts of the Elements of Harmony. Utilizing the Elements, these six purified Nightmare Moon, returning her to her former identity of Princess Luna, whom Celestia promptly reinstated, bringing Equestria back to a dual monarchy. Dissenters claim this was a convenient political move to ease pressure on Celestia’s totalitarian rule. Several conspiracy theories also claim Celestia brought back Luna to serve as a mere puppet, so Celestia’s undisputed rule could continue with less opposition. Given that Nightmare Moon’s date of return coincides with the original thousand-year prophecy, these conspiracy theorists are most likely grasping at straws. With Luna’s return, regardless of reason, some semblance of balance returned to the Equestrian courts. Development of industry was relaxed slightly to help bring sustainable agriculture up to speed. Her reinstatement also resulted in increased trade output, with a newfound emphasis on luxury goods and high standards of living. This was likely what inadvertedly resulted in the national economy’s inflation, spurring opposition movements to gain followers and become more bold in their actions.
Second Great Pony War:
The Second Great Pony War was triggered when anarchic rebels managed to infiltrate Canterlot, and at the height of their surprise attack, assassinated Princess Celestia. It quickly degraded from that point, as many of the rebels were slaughtered when the Royal Guards had organized themselves. The Celestial Council, believing Princess Luna to have been the instigation for the coup attempt, ousted her from power and the Council formed the Solar Empire. The war was long and bloody. The New Lunar Republic won. I am tired of discussing the subject. Defer to Chancellor Sparkle’s edition for the whole story.
Age of Nocturnality:
Following the end of the Second Great Pony War, the New Lunar Republic established itself as the figurehead of Equestrian politics. The Solar Empire was dissolved, either by termination or absorption into the new government. Princess Luna set about immediately forming the Equestrian Parliament as a safeguard against malevolent dictatorships, but still retained a large degree of executive authority. Surprisingly, many notable figures from the Solar Empire were folded into the New Lunar Republic’s political structure, causing some public unrest, particularly over the pardoning of Colonel Twilight Sparkle, who commanded a large quantity of Imperial infantry during the latter battles of the War, and was elected as Equestria’s first Chancellor (also head of Parliament), and the pardoning of Captain Shining Armor, who was Captain of the Royal Guard forces during the Uprising and throughout the War, and was promptly reinstated to his post following the end of hostilities. Despite these objections, most ponies were content with the power shift, which went more smoothly than anticipated. Now we wait and see what the future will hold.
Genetic history of Equestria:
As you can see by visiting any museum, ponies were commonly much taller than they are today. It is unknown what caused the shift in genetic dominance from áloga to equine, but the end result is what we have today. Ponies are now more commonly around half a meter shorter than they were in earlier eras. There are still examples of áloga genetics, such as with Princess Celestia and a small percentage of the civilian populace. The isolated alicorns of Ages long past also had the áloga trait, as their unusually long lifespans and slow rate of physical maturation mean that only exceptionally old examples truly show their genetics, again being the case with Princess Celestia (although perhaps due to her former connection with the Elements of Harmony, grew uncommonly tall even for áloga genes).
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Bonus points to:
Keystroke and Silver Streak: for being my historians
Author’s notes:
The 9th in the Strings of Fate series, I wrote this bit as my own personal interpretation of Equestria’s known history, melded with a few of my own ideas. It’s more akin to a historical writing (given that that was the goal), so it’s more information-based than my other SoF pieces. Essentially, it’s to let you guys know how I see the history of the FiM universe.
Disclaimer:
“My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” and its derivatives are the intellectual property of Hasbro©. I do not, nor claim to, have the rights to any and all intellectual property this story uses and is partly based on.
