Wal and Pei were formerly two independent states. Wal often fell under the influence of the Tlyk Kingdom, and Pei usually fell under the influence of Crozdig. Pei was officially annexed by Crozdig after a brief war in 710-708 BU. Crozdig then expanded and conquered Wal after a series of wars in the early 6th century BU. Wal and Pei regained their independence after a series of wars stretching across most of the first century AU. The two countries coexisted independently for a quarter century before a political union was undertaken. Wal annexed Pei, after Pei's economy crashed and stayed in a severe depression for over a decade and the state itself nearly collapsed.