City-State of Jowston

The City-State of Jowston (ジョウストン都市同盟, Jousuton Toshi Dōmei), 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, the Tinto City would join the alliance, and in 378, the 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
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.