Ermifi Empire

The Ermifi Empire, from Meruk er-, meaning great, and mifi, meaning people, from Proto-Martuk urt- and mihe, was an empire of Hiereti that occupied much of the northern areas of the region. From its capital of Erbi, the empire exerted considerable power of the towns around it, and was only balanced by the Ateter Kingdom in the south and Ziguriter in the north.

Early History
The Ermifi Empire, though formed in c. 4100 ED, existed in obscurity for a few hundred years. By 3800 ED, however, it had grown with the completion of the city of Bi and the subjugation of Etbi. In 3772 ED, the empire was involved in a war with the city of Ziguriter, over the weak state of Sembi. The Ermifi Empire's aggression diplomacy directed towards Sembi sparked war between the Ermifi and Ziguriter and the two nations fought in the short Sembi War, in which the capital of Erbi was sacked and a host of important artefacts stolen by a raiding party from Ziguriter. Only a few years after the war, Ziguriter had been plunged into rebellion, leaving Sembi unprotected. The Ermifi Empire absorbed the city and expanded its northern frontier greatly.

Wars with Irbid and the Uriṱeriqṱer Empire
The Ermifi Empire sided with the Ateter Kingdom against Irbid in the Rṱikiqāt War. The Ermifi army succeeded in raiding Irbid a number of times, but failed to hold the city. They acted as a valuable distraction and when King Adi'ater III of the Ateter Kingdom launched a campaign to retake the city of Adirem he was met with little resistance. The Ermifi Empire were awarded many baskets of grain for their help and cemented a diplomatic relationship with the Ateter Kingdom.

The help of the Ermifi Empire was sought by the Ateter Kingdom in the Uriṱeriqṱer War. The Erang of Ermifi performed competently in the war and took one city from the Uriṱeriqṱer Kingdom, while the Ateter Kingdom took four. The Ermifi Empire did not involve itself in future wars between the Ateter Kingdom and the Uriṱeriqṱer Kingdom, consolidating its power.

Decline
The Ermifi Empire was raided on multiple occasions by camel-riding nomads from the north-west of Hieret, leading to the Natuk Wars, beginning in 3369 ED and ending in 3243 ED. Erbi was sacked several times by these nomands, until Erang Dikko II drove them north and out of the Hieret region completely. Still, the cost of the wars was great on the empire. The population of the capital had fallen, with thousands having fled from the bandits. Many of the farms around the cities had been irreparably damaged and much of the remaining urban population began to starve. With the death of Erang Dikko IV in 3199 ED, the empire collapsed and was absorbed by the Ateter Kingdom.