Talk:Crystal Empire/@comment-112.199.87.186-20130114055251/@comment-10390252-20130703142630

From the maps I've seen, the Crystal Empire is to the north of the area of the pre-Equestria pony lands. It seems likely that it was always an independent nation, possibly started by ponies who didn't want to be part of the coalition that formed after the first Hearth Warming Night. It is even possible that the Empire pre-dates Equestria and was formed by ponies who wished to remain united and refused to divide up on the basis of race.

Cadence's possible blood ties to the Celestial Sisters (she's Celestia's 'niece' after all) and the fact that Shining Armour is a soldier in Celestia's army may call the empire's practical political independence into question. However, Cadence seems to be very focussed on her Little Ponies' welfare and I can't see her willingly placing her nation, the lands of her forefathers, under any other pony's rule - even ones as inarguably impartial as Celestia and Luna.