Montegul

''This article is about the city in Onaway. For the colony in New Andemyr, see Montegul (Colony)''.

Montegul (: Montegul, : Monnegal, : Ozáwáwajiw) is the 10th most populous city in Onaway, and the most populous city in the Onawean chiefdom in Osdemo. The city was founded in 1191 by Otto Rohde, although it is believed the early explorer Steen Rasmussen also set up camp at the site. The city was originally dubbed Fjellen av Gull or The Mountain of Gold after Mount Gull, an isolated hill located in the center of the city. The city is centered along the river bank of the Bekenesweg River, which got its name from the now dissolved Myrish colony of Elven-av-Trine just north of Montegul. The city is located 406.13 kilometers from the capital of Onaway, Agogibing. The suburbs of the city are also partially located within its neighboring chiefdom, Genesi.

As of 1610, the city has a population of approximately 502,378, with a population of 612,483 within the urban conglomeration. Alongside the national languages of and, Myrish is the city's official language. In 2016, Myrish was the of 53.8% of the population, while 30.2% of the population spoke Salish at home. 16% of the population spoke a language other than Salish or Myrish at home. The city is home to one of the largest Myrish diasporas in the world, with the larger Montegul Census Metropolitan Area reporting that 65.8% of the population spoke Myrish at home, compared to 15.3% who spoke Salish. Montegul is one of the most trilingual cities in Onaway, with over 69% of the population able to speak both Myrish, Salish, and Ziibwingon. 2% of the population was also fluent or near-fluent in another language, with respondents typically listing or Achysian as their fourth language.

Historically a commercial capital of Onaway, Montegul has declined in the ranks of economic strength and population in recent decades. However, it remains the largest city in the northern region of Onaway and still holds its position as an important center of commerce, transport, aerospace, finance, pharmaceuticals, technology, and more. In 1607, Montegul was ranked the 13th-most livable city in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit in its annual Global Livability Ranking, and the best city in the world to be a university student in the Global University Rankings. Its main collegiate institution, the University of Montegul, is a centerpiece of Montegulian civic life, and has a historic rivalry with Chawegan's Nagel University, which is often exemplified in the atmosphere surrounding their and  matches. In addition, Montegul serves as the headquarters for many Myrish companies wishing to spread their businesses abroad in Veharia.

Montegul has hosted multiple international and national conferences and events, including several World Concordat expositions and meetings and the 1599 and 1605 ]]International Ice Hockey Championship]]s inside of the Isarena, located in the Rasmussen district. As of 1606, Montegul hosts the Montegul Jazz Festival, the Tur Til Onaway, and more. It is also home to major Onawean sports franchises, including the team Motegul Rush, one of the most winningest in the Northern Hockey League, and the Montegul Drakkens, its Onawean Bagaade League team.

Etymology
In the, Montegul is known traditionally as Ozáwáwajiw a'Bekenesweg-zibwi. It translates roughly to "the golden mountain at the three crossings".

Pre-Azoran contact
Prior to the arrival of Azoran explorers, archaeological evidence places the earliest inhabitation of the area around modern-day Montegul as early as c. 1500 BC. The cultivation of  among the Proto-Zagakwan began around 100 AC, and fortified settlements similar in configuration to that of the  were being constructed around the 7th century AC. It is unlikely that these sites were actually occupied by the Gorey peoples, but were likely affected by the trade networks and and technological dissemination from their strongholds further to the southwest. The Ziibwingon are believed to have first occupied the lands surrounding Montegul around the year 800 AC, as evidenced by a change in architecture from smaller buildings using hide roofs to wooden longhouses with thatched or treebark-covered roofs, as well as the erection of numerous. The village of Ozáwáwajiw was established c. 950 at the foot of Mount Gull by the Trine Ziibwingon, a group that was distinct from the tribes which formed the Okemos Confederacy (then based in present-day Chawegan) further south. Myrish explorer Steen Rasmussen made camp near Ozáwáwajiw on 10 Highfall 1122, estimating its population at "well over a thousand persons". While much of the evidence of earlier habitation had been destroyed or removed since the construction of Fort Rohde, a number of pre-Ziibwingon sites on the periphery of the city have been discovered over the years.

Architecture
For much of its history, Montegul was the industrial and financial center of the Northeastern Veharian inland. While location, climate, and the politics and historical circumstances surrounding Onaway's purchase of New Andemyr prevented it from reaching the same scale as cities like Dewje'og, Chawegan, or Agogibing. Even still, the city's role as the "northern capital" has left a variety of buildings such as factories, refineries, elevators, warehouses, and mills which give insights into the city's history as a center of commerce and industry in the north. Most of these sites are located in Montegul's downtown area, and parts of the Bekenesweg District.

Much like the city of Dewje'og in Ogokanong, Montegul has retained a number of its oldest colonial-era buildings, dating back as far as the late 12th and early 13th centuries. While clustered largely in the Old Montegul District, many religious structures can trace their origins to these early time periods.