Duchy of Besançon

The Duchy of Besançon (Montesi: La Duccìa Besanço'na) is the seat of power for the entire Holy Orthodox Empire of Montessano. The roles of duke and governor in this duchy shall always be filled by the king and the chancellor respectively.

Since the end of the Montesi Civil War in 1682, Besançon has served as the capital of the Empire, as it is home to the ruling House of Vedois.

The majority of the duchy's four million population live in the capital on the southwestern coast, with some one and a half million people living inland.

The duchy has one of the highest levels of arability in the country, with large, open plains utilized for agriculture. However, in the northeast, the duchy's border with Keizaal is made up of some of the largest of the Jerall mountains, most notably Mount François, the tallest peak on the continent. This mixture of open plains and impassable mountains provides the duchy with the most defensible and sustainable positions in the world.