Lord Michael Simpson claims third property for Austenasia
A new Territory was annexed by Austenasia yesterday morning as Lord Michael Simpson, Count of Occibrazos, claimed a five acre property from Colorado for the Empire. The new Territory has been named Elliessium Colorandum, after Lord Simpson’s granddaughter Ellie and the U.S. state from which it was annexed. Lord Simpson has previously claimed for Austenasia two other pieces of land he owns, namely the Territory of Florencium Carolina on 20 July and the Town of Procyon on 5 October earlier this year. He has also served as Austenasian Consul in Texas since June, and has been appointed Governor of this newest land claim. Elliessium Colorandum is uninhabited, but may be used for agricultural purposes in the future.
New Town and Crown Dependency join the Empire
Monday 5th October saw the new Town of Procyon and the new Crown Dependency of Kaiomenia annexed by Austenasia. Procyon is a residential property claimed from the Texan city of Killeen by its two residents, Lord Michael Simpson and his wife, the former of whom has been appointed the new town’s Acting Representative. Lord Simpson already served as Governor of the Territory of Florencium Carolina, which is situated just over six miles to the south-west of Procyon. The second claim, Kaiomenia, has been ceded to Austenasia by Ovrestlia, a Greek nation ruled by Thomas Marios I. As part of negotiations to formalise diplomatic relations between Austenasia and Ovrestlia in September, it was agreed that the latter would cede an area of land to the Empire. This was finalised with the creation of the new Crown Dependency, which will be governed autonomously by Thomas Marios I. Kaiomenia is composed of an area of undeveloped land to the north-west of the Greek city of Agrinio.
Austenasia celebrates 12th anniversary
The Empire of Austenasia today celebrates Independence Day, marking twelve years since the Declaration of Independence was sent in September 2008. To mark the occasion, a broadcast has been released by Lord William Wilson, the Deputy Prime Minister. Another broadcast by the Prime Minister himself, Lord John Gordon, is expected later today. Celebrations will be taking place across the Empire. Emperor Jonathan I and his fiancée Princess Hannah the Augusta will this evening host dinner at a restaurant in Deva Victrix to be attended by local non-residential Austenasian subjects. The Emperor has also released the customary Honours List, the recipients on which are listed below: Independence Day 2020 Honours List Glorious Order of St. John: Lord John Gordon, Viscount of Thetford (Knight of Honour) HG Bradley, Duke of Dullahan (Knight of Honour) Lord William Wilson, Count of Oribrazos (Knight of Virtue) Order of the Bullmastiff: Lord Charles Ross, Duke of Occidentia (Knight) Brayden “Lee” Eaves (Knight) Austenasian Order: HFM Basileus Emmanuel I & II (Knight Commander) HH Despotes Aggelos (Knight Commander) HSH Edward I (Knight Commander) HM King Eran (Commander) HRH The Prince Nathan (Commander) Lord Remus Peroni, Duke of Viennensis (Commander) Lord Michael Simpson, Count of Occibrazos (Commander) Lord Austin Jaax, Baron of Kingeston (Commander) Thomas Marios I of Ovrestlia (Officer) HM King Cameron I (Officer) HG Aidan McGrath, Duke of Limiport (Officer) Lord Ismetcan Siraç, Count of Bithynia (Officer) Lord Casper von Naveria, Count of Cowyetton (Officer) Newton von Uberquie (Officer) Baron Archie Birch (Member) Thomas Bainbridge (Member) James Reginald Frisch (Member)
Further expansion with land ceded from Gradonia
Saturday 1st August saw the Kingdom of Gradonia cede two areas of land to the Empire of Austenasia. Gradonia is ruled by King William I, who serves as Deputy Prime Minister in Austenasia, where he prefers to be known by his title Lord William Wilson, Count of Oribrazos. Austenasia and Gradonia have held strong friendly relations since June last year. The first land claim, Campo de Jonatán, is a house inhabited by Wilson’s father – who has now become an Austenasian subject – and recently moved into by Wilson himself. Campo de Jonatán has been annexed as a March of Wilson’s hometown of Nahona, of which he serves as Representative. The second land claim, Jackson, is composed of uninhabited land situated in front of the home of Wilson’s uncle. The land contains a fallout/tornado shelter, which previously served as the Gradonian military installation Fort McLaughlin. Wilson has been appointed Governor of Jackson and Margrave of Campo de Jonatán.
Imperial Guard established
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Jonathan I has established the Imperial Guard by recruiting its first two members on Saturday 25th July. The Armed Forces Act 2020, passed last month, enacted radical reform to the Austenasian military, dissolving the standing armed forces and establishing a system primarily based on reserve militias. One exception to this was an Imperial Guard, which the Monarch was authorised to personally recruit as a standing military unit on active service. The Imperial Guard is to serve as an elite bodyguard unit for the Monarch. Out of the two guards recruited on July 25th, one will be stationed in Wrythe and the other in Chester, thereby providing protection for Emperor Jonathan I in whichever of the two cities he most regularly frequents he happens to be in. The guard stationed in Wrythe is none other than HIH Emperor Father Terry, who has been appointed Captain of the new unit. The Emperor Father served as a tribune and as a legate in the Austenasian Army from 2011 and 2017 respectively up until last month’s reforms.
Two new Territories annexed from southern U.S.
An Act of Parliament passed yesterday annexed two new Austenasian Territories after two areas of land were claimed for the Empire by their owners. One, Blue Ridge, is composed of the garden of a residential property whereas the other, Florencium Carolina, is composed of an area of private rural land. Both new territories have been annexed from southern states of the USA, with Blue Ridge from Florida and Florencium Carolina from Texas. The two landowners who claimed the territories have been given noble titles and made governors of their respective claim. Lord Michael Simpson is Governor of Florencium Carolina, and Lord Aydan Dillon is Governor of Blue Ridge.
Incumbents re-elected in local elections for Kingeston and North Nahona
Local elections took place in Kingeston and North Nahona on Monday 13th July, with the Acting Representatives of said Towns elected to the positions proper. In Kingeston, which was transitioned into a Town from a Crown Dependency in May, Lord Austin Jaax was elected Representative with a 100% turnout. In North Nahona, which was founded in June, The Hon. Payton Moore was elected Representative with a 50% turnout. Both had been appointed Acting Representative of their respective Town upon its foundation by order of Parliament. Both ran unopposed, and both gained 100% of the vote, with no voters choosing to abstain.
Expansion in North America as Tricornia is dissolved
An Act of Parliament passed yesterday enacted territorial changes which saw the creation of a new Town, the expansion of another, and the dissolution of a third. Tricornia, a town annexed only in April, has been dissolved after its founder, Nikola Jovanovic, revealed that he had supplied incorrect information to the government while claiming the land and forged the signatures of its alleged residents. When claiming new areas of land, the government must strike a fine line between respecting the privacy of applicants while also being able to verify their claims. It is not believed that any changes to the current system are planned, but this incident has shown that it is not impossible for it to be abused. Tricornia now holds the unfortunate record of being the land claim with the shortest duration as a part of Austenasia. However, alongside the departure of Tricornia, a new Town has joined the Empire. The new Town of North Nahona has been founded with the annexation of two properties from Texas. A third property has been annexed to the already existing Town of Nahona, which the new town is named after. Each property is inhabited by two people, with a total of six people thereby joining Austenasia. This offsets the loss of the (alleged) same number from the dissolution of Tricornia. Both Nahona and North Nahona now consist of two properties, each inhabited by two people, and form a roughly eighteen mile long line stretching approximately north-west to south-east, with the southern two properties in the older town and the northern two in the new one. In other news, the Pontifex Maximus, Pope Queranus I – better known as Sebastian Linden – has been granted non-residential subjectship by Parliament. Linden has served as Governor of Iostan na Beithe and of Glencoe since January 2018, and briefly reigned as German Emperor in mid-2011.
Military reform passed by Parliament
An Act of Parliament was passed yesterday implementing radical changes to the Austenasian Armed Forces (AAF), dissolving the existing units and making provisions for new ones to be formed. The majority of soldiers in the AAF had enlisted for the Austenasian Civil War over a decade ago, with most having since fallen out of contact with the central government and some even assumed to have forgotten that they were considered Austenasian soldiers. The Austenasian Army and Imperial Air Force have therefore been dissolved, with their members receiving honourable discharges. These reforms reflect that fact that Austenasia has little need of a standing army, having last been in an official state of war in December 2010. In the words of Emperor Jonathan I in Parliament, “the days of teenage gangs marauding around Carshalton in support of various claimants to local thrones is long past”. Yesterday’s legislation has created three new branches for the AAF. Local claims may recruit regiments of Limitanei, which will serve as reserve militia to be mobilised for local defence or emergency purposes. During wartime, the Ministry of Defence will recruit units of Comitatenses, which will not be bound to a specific area but serve as active field troops. Finally, the Imperial Guard will be a bodyguard unit recruited specifically by the Monarch for their personal protection, and will be the only ordinarily active unit.
IGS Expedition undertaken to Centennial Park
At the end of last month, Lord William Wilson led an expedition of the Imperial Geographical Society (IGS) to Centennial Park in Nashville, Tennessee. The visit to the park itself took place on 30 May, although the expedition began two days earlier, on the 28th, making it the only IGS expedition to date to have spanned more than one day. Lord Wilson and his mother Lady Nicole, who serve as Representative and Baroness of Nahona respectively, set off from Nahona on 28 May, crossing the Mississippi River and visiting the village of Whites Creek. While in Whites Creek, the expedition visited a grocery building where a member of the outlaw Jesse James’ gang was captured in 1881. On 30 May, the expedition arrived at Centennial Park and viewed the Tennessee Women’s Suffrage Monument before heading to the main feature in the park, a lifesized replica of the Athenian Parthenon. Once there, Lord Wilson explored the various art exhibits displayed within the Parthenon, including a large statue of Athena. The expedition ended after walking around Lake Watauga, the reservoir in the park, and naming the northern island Insula Viatorem. A video of the expedition’s exploration of Centennial Park can be seen here.