Zamora
"...Zamora with its dark-haired women and towers of spider-haunted mystery..." -- the Nemedian Chronicles
An eastern kingdom founded by the ancient Zhemri people several thousand years before the Age of Conan. (The elephant-being, Yag-kosha, said the Zamoran race was pre-Cataclysmic.)
The nation was southeast of Hyperborea, east of Brythunia and Corinthia, north of Koth, and west of the Turanian steppe. On its eastern boundary were the Kezankian Mountains, beyond which were marches nominally subject to Zamora but increasingly nibbled away by Turan. The Karpash Mountain range lie on the western border and a small, worn range rose on the southern border. Their passes were usually blocked by snowfall and spring rains. Zamora always placed a crude fort at the approaches to its mountain passes for tariffs and protection.
The capital of Zamora, Shadizar, was on the Road of Kings, principle trade-route of the Hyborian world. Zamora was an ancient and peculiar kingdom. It was an absolute despotism in young Conan's time, the king dominated by a sorceror. The main religious faith was the cult of the Spider-God Zath, centered at Yezud.
Zamora was founded by the Zhemri about the time that Hyperborea the Elder was overthrown by the Aesir. Hyborians conducted slave raids into Zamora in the early days, but they never managed to seize the government.
After the Age of Conan, Turan conquered Zamora; then the Aquilonians drove the Hyrkanians out, assumed control, and levied increasing amounts of tribute. After the Aquilonian debacle, Hyrkanians once again overran Zamora. This time they consolidated their gains by settling refugee Zingarans as a loyalist element among the conquered People of the Spider-God.
References: Hyborian Age I-II, Tower of the Elephant, Hall of the Dead, Queen of the Black Coast, Shadows in the Moonlight, Black Sphinx of Nebthu, Road of Eagles, Bloodstained God, Hand of Nergal, Black Colossus, Conan and the Spider God, Conan and the Amazon, et al.
- Population: 3,300,000
- Capital: Shadizar (pop. 410,000)
- Ruler: King Mitradites
- Major cities: Arenjun (pop. 330,000), Yezud (pop. 110,000)
- Resources: Sheep, cattle, tin, copper
- Imports: Food, spices, gems
- Allies: Turan (pays tribute to)
- Enemies: Hyperborea
- Tech level: Middle eastern
- Religion: Zath, Bel, Ishtar, Nergal