The City-State of Jowston (ジョウストン都市同盟, Jousuton Toshidōmei), also known as the Jowston Alliance or simply Jowston, was a nation located on the Northern continent. It is the setting for Suikoden II and also appears in Genso Suikogaiden Vol.1.
Information
Founded in the year 314, the City-State of Jowston was established at Jowston Hill in Muse City. The Jowston Alliance was signed by the three principal states that made up the former Dunan Monarchy, centered around Lake Dunan; South Window, Muse and Two River as well as the Matilda Knightdom, a military organization founded by Muse which had gained its own independence.
The idea for the City-State came from General Jowston, who realized the need for a mutual alliance after repelling two attacks on Muse City from the Highland Army. The nation, however, is not named after the general but rather Jowston Hill itself. This was in response to criticism from the Matilda Knightdom about naming the new alliance after General Jowston.
Inr 366, Tinto City would join the alliance, and in 378, Greenhill City, which had become independent from Muse five years prior, joined as well.
City-State policies were determined by a vote with each member receiving an allotment of votes based on its population. The Hilltop Conference was where such deliberations normally took place. Without a formal unified army, the Jowston military was a collection of individual city armies, which from time to time had contracted mercenary forces.
It was also a good place to make money for travelling troupes and the like, as it was a place where people could meet and embrace different cultures both within the alliance and beyond.
Geography and Flag
The City-State of Jowston was located in the center of the Northern Continent, around Lake Dunan. Jowston shared land borders with Harmonia, Highland, the Grassland and the Toran Republic. Its capital was Muse City, located in the nation's main province, Muse Principality.
In addition to the flags used by each city, there was also a flag for the City-State itself. It was blue with a yellow circle, three swords, and six feathers. The six feathers symbolized the five cities and one knightdom that comprised the City-State.
The City-State also had its own calendar, beginning in SY 314 of the solar calendar, when the City-State of Jowston was established. The Dunan Unification War took place in the year 147 according to this calendar.
Other languages and releases
| Japanese kanji | ジョウストン都市同盟 |
|---|---|
| Japanese romaji | Jousuton Toshidōmei |
| Chinese simplified (HDR) | 裘斯顿都市同盟 |
| Chinese traditional (HDR) | 裘斯頓都市同盟 |
| Chinese pinyin | Qiúsīdùn dūshì tóngméng |
| English (S1) | United City-States of Jowstone |
|---|---|
| English (S2) | City-State of Jowston |
| English (HDR) | City-States of Jowston |
| French | Cités-États de Jowston |
| German (S2) | Jowston-Städtebund |
| German (HDR) | Stadtstaaten von Jowston |
| Italian | Città-stato di Jowston |
| Spanish | Ciudades-estado de Jowston |
References
- Genso Suikoden II Art Works, page 29
- Genso Suikoden I & II Official World Guide Book (ISBN 4-471-36033-7), pages 54-5
- Genso Suikoden Encyclopaedia (ISBN 4-575-16297-3), pages 136-7
- Genso Suikoden Kiwami Encyclopedia, pages 165, 255