Bedford, Neuw Aurentië

Bedford (Aurentian: Karinastad) is a city in Pacifica. With a population of 5,628,591 people as of the 2022 census, it is the nth largest city in North America, the largest in New Aurentia, and the second largest in Pacifica (after Columbia). However, its metropolitan is the largest in the country at around 22 million people.

The city is located near the eastern half of the Vrouwes Peninsula, the southernmost point in the state with the Wiskln's Cape located about 5 km (3 mi) away from Bedford's downtown area. It has been well-received for its extensive use of public transportation, with the Greater Bedford Metro Transportation Authority (GBMTA) being one of the largest in Pacifica.

Its downtown area is located 5 km (3 miles) away from the Cape of the Wiskln, the southernmost point in the country. While technically being a part of the district of Neuw Aurentië, it is a semi-independent city divided into 26 boroughs within its own county that is coextensive with the city. The city itself is the oldest in the country that was not established by an indigenous group.

Pre-colonial era (to 1623)
The Vrouwes Peninsula, along with a few other areas along the coast, was once the homeland of the Aigeren, a group who travelled down from the Pirasaugett Mountains in the 2nd century BCE. Early settlement of said peninsula started about a century after. By the time the Wiskln arrived in the 1590s, one somewhat small but major population centre was created north of the peninsula, with the Aigeren homeland spanning from the Cape to the present-day River Kyning's water basin.

Aurentian History
The colonial history of Pacifica began as King Kristjan VI (r. 1612-1643) began devising a way to send as many Catholic Aurentians away to a different area. Just a decade prior, he became a Protestant monarch and forced his subjects to abandon Catholicism. While this was somewhat successful in the country, this did not stop many from remaining Catholics in secret. However, the era of exploration was occurring at around the same time as a number of religious conflicts were plaguing Europe (note that Aurentia established several ports in Africa and Asia) and the Wiskln had explored across the Pacific Northwest for a place to establish trade in the region.

In 1622, at least 120 people boarded a ship known as the M.A.E. Barent to go on a journey that would cover at least 30,000 km in about a year. While intending to travel to Vancouver Island, they ended up heading to the site of present-day Bedford sometime in 1623 (it is mostly said that the day they landed was 15 September, though this date is somewhat speculated).

The city (then dubbed Neuwaurentië) was built as a fort some time afterward. It is said that fur trading posts were added in an area between Wiskln's Cape and present-day Marquette once the population grew. Initially, relations with the natives was less aggressive than later phases (especially during the Tree Wars, where it became more polarised) and that trade with its home country was going well no matter how long it took for supplies to travel from Aurentia to the colony.

Under British Rule (1822-1896)
In 1822, the British Empire took over Pacifica, occupying Katrinastad after 9 weeks (though the state did not collaspe until the Fall of Dauwesbærg in 1823). While most British settlers remained in what was considered the western frontier, many transplants travelled to the newly renamed Bedford (after General G.R. Bedford). Most Neuwaurenters moved further north to more rural settlements or formed towns on what was empty land abandoned a few hundred years ago. Those who remained were subject to Anglicisation, often changing their names to sound more English due to the frowned-upon look of expressing Aurentian heritage. This led to a more contested relationship between the two groups, with Neuwaurenters being called "teebroeðen" (lit. "tee brothers") for agreeing to such practice.

By 1845, Pacifica was stripped of its co-occupied colony status and was split into a few smaller ones, with New Aurentia being one of them. It served as the capital from there to 1896, when it would be the Pacifican capital until 1909.

Modern-day (1896-present)
TBD