Imperial Geographical Society Expedition to Soria
The Imperial Geographical Society (IGS) yesterday undertook an expedition exploring sites of interest in the Spanish city of Soria, and following part of the course of the Duero River. The expedition, the members of which consisted of Emperor Jonathan I and his sister Crown Princess Caroline, is the first of the IGS to have taken place outside of the United Kingdom. The Emperor has been living in the Spanish city of Soria since September with his fiancée Princess Hannah, and will continue to do so until June. The Crown Princess visited the imperial couple from Tuesday to Friday this week, and on Thursday 12th it was decided to designate a comprehensive tour of Soria’s sites of interest as an official IGS expedition. The main sites visited on the tour of the city were: An outdoor refuge for stray cats The ruins of the Convent of St Francis (17th century) and of the church of St Ginés (12th century) The churches of St John of Rabanera (12th century), Our Lady of the Hawthorn (16th century), and the Co-Cathedral of St Peter (16th century) The Hermitages of St Saturio and Our Lady of Miron (both 6th century) A hill behind the Hermitage of Miron from which a view of the ruins of Numantia (2nd century BC) can be seen The high street in central Soria
Rushymia to be re-established as Crown Dependency
An Act of Parliament was passed earlier today authorising land to be claimed on which to restore the former kingdom of Rushymia. Rushymia was an entity existing under British sovereignty between 1995 and 2000 in the primary school attended by the now Emperor Jonathan I and Crown Princess Caroline. The last of the kings to have ruled Rushymia abdicated without a successor. He left the right to his title to whoever could first retrieve a plastic bottle he placed high up a fence, a feat only achieved by Emperor Esmond III in October 2010. The title King of Rushymia has been held ever since by the Austenasian Monarch, but in an entirely ceremonial capacity. This Act of Parliament has authorised Rushymia to be re-established as a territorial entity, this time under Austenasian sovereignty. No options have yet been announced as to possible locations for the Crown Dependency-to-be.
Tourist visit to Austenasia
The Austenasian capital of Wrythe yesterday saw its second tourist visit. His Imperial Majesty Emperor Jonathan I met Mike Lewis at Carshalton railway station, from which he gave him a guided tour of the Carshalton Nations which concluded at Wrythe. Princess Consort Hannah joined the Emperor and Mr Lewis towards the end of the tour. Mr Lewis was shown Orly, the site of Rushymia and the Midget Empire, and Muschamp Alley, all sites which are relevant to the Carshalton Nations and their history, with the Emperor giving commentary as they went. They then walked to Wrythe, where – by this point joined by Princess Consort Hannah – the tour concluded with lunch. At the Imperial Residence in Wrythe, Mr Lewis met with Emperor Father Terry, Emperor Mother Margaret, Crown Princess Caroline and the imperial pets Edd the bullmastiff and Rosie the kitten. He was also shown various documents and artefacts of historical interest, presented with a gift of an Austenasian postcard, and signed a guestbook newly acquired for the Imperial Residence. This is the second time a tourist has visited Wrythe, the first having been Jonny Blair in March last year.
Rosie arrives at the Imperial Residence
Yesterday evening, Emperor Father Terry and Crown Princess Caroline arrived back home at the Imperial Residence with Rosie, the new pet cat of the immediate Imperial Family. Rosie was acquired from a friend of Emperor Father Terry who lives in Yorkshire. Updates will be posted as Rosie continues to settle in. UPDATE 5 APRIL 2017 – After initial disputes about the name, the Imperial Family’s pet cat has now been renamed Baby.
Imperial Family members return from Devon holiday
Emperor Jonathan I, Crown Princess Caroline, and Emperor Mother Margaret yesterday returned from a week’s holiday in Devon. The three imperials had spent the week at Sidholme Hotel in the town of Sidmouth, relaxing at the hotel as well as going out for day trips. Activities by the three holidaymakers included a visit to a pottery studio where they made their own pots, exploring the picturesque village of Branscombe, building a “sea wall” on Sidmouth beach, and looking through various gift shops. Emperor Father Terry was unable to come on the holiday due to the Imperial Family’s pet bullmastiff Edd requiring somebody to look after him, but had spent a week away with a friend earlier in the month to make up for missing out. An album of photographs taken of the holiday by the Emperor can be seen at this link.
First tourist visit to Austenasia
Austenasia hosted its first ever tourist this morning. Jonny Blair, a travel writer, visited Wrythe to write an entry for his journey blog “Don’t Stop Living“. He was given a guided tour of Wrythe by Emperor Jonathan I, met the Emperor Mother and Crown Princess, and spoke with the Emperor about Austenasia and other small states around the world. After tea and biscuits in Wrythe and posing for some photographs with his own Northern Irish flag (which has been to over ninety countries), Mr. Blair went with the Emperor to be given a guided tour of the nearby nation of Orly. After looking around Orly and hearing about its history and government, Mr. Blair was accompanied by the Emperor to Carshalton train station, from where he departed. Mr. Blair’s visit raised the matter of the Empire acquiring physical items which in future could be sold or presented to tourists – postcards, fridge magnets and the like – as well as a passport stamp for when they cross the border.
Jonathan I speaks on the fifth anniversary of the Austenasian Civil War
Writing this, Our Imperial Majesty sits in a room where, five years ago today, we were as Crown Prince immediately before the outbreak of the Austenasian Civil War. We are in the Park Annexe of Carshalton Methodist Church as our sister Crown Princess Caroline sets up an event in the church hall next door. Five years ago today, however, she attended the Vestry Conference, called to arrange a peaceful solution to her claim to the Throne, which had passed the previous month from our father Terry I to Esmond III. Of course, the conference failed, and we came into this room to confront our sister after negotiations broke down. It was immediately after leaving here that she announced an intention to overthrow the Emperor and the Austenasian Civil War was declared. Despite the small scale of the war in military terms – only two “battles” being fought, neither truly deserving of the title – it left a permanent mark on Austenasia. What was in theory a victory for parliamentary sovereignty and the rule of law over untempered hereditary right became a victory of the Throne over the Representatives. Some have pointed out what could have been; had Esmond III been made Regent for an Empress Caroline, he and his army would have left Stanley Park – the school at which most government business took place after his ascension to the Throne – mere weeks before Caroline would have come of age to rule herself. Overlooking this solution cost the Empire much in terms of stability, and the reign of our predecessor likely would not have happened should Esmond have only been Regent. However, neither would many other things immensely important to the modern-day Empire have taken place had not the civil war. We cannot change the past, but we must reflect on and learn from it. On a positive note, the war brought many benefits to the Empire: a massive increase in local knowledge of Austenasia, a military which functioned in practice as well as in theory, a balance between the power of the Prime Minister and of the Throne, a “golden age” of court culture, and ultimately the foundation of our friends the Orlian nations. Despite an increasing tendency towards eccentric ideas once his power was secure, Esmond III showed himself to be a great leader during the Austenasian Civil War and the months after it. He is almost single-handedly responsible for the making of the modern day Austenasian Monarchy and for the position of the Empire among the Carshalton Nations; one can only image what great things he would have had a chance to do had his first three months on the Throne not have had to have been dedicated to holding on to it. As we commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Austenasian Civil War, let us not only mourn the tragedy of a nation divided. Let us also reflect upon and appreciate the dynamic new order of things it brought in. Had the war never occurred, Austenasia may never have expanded beyond a small community of seven people. It was the war which resulted in us first reaching out to the wider world, and that, if nothing else, can only have been a positive outcome. ICJA Park Annexe of Carshalton Methodist Church, 7 March 2015
Consuls appointed as New Year Wimbledon Common walk goes ahead
New Year’s Day 2015 has been heralded with the appointment of the year’s consuls, with a traditional walk on Wimbledon Common going ahead despite participants dropping out. The Prime Minister, Countess Eritoshi, has appointed as the Consuls for 2015 her sister Lady Imogen Easton, Baroness of Thanasia, and the Heir to the Throne, Crown Princess Caroline. The two Consuls of Austenasia are the Empire’s highest judicial authorities, with the duty of passing sentence on convicted criminals. However, due to Austenasia’s amazingly low crime rate, their function is mostly ceremonial, primarily being used to name the year after. Meanwhile, a New Year’s Day walk on Wimbledon Common traditionally undertook by the immediate Imperial Family and their relatives the Boxalls went ahead, despite long-standing participants who would customarily have organised it dropping out. Since the early 1990s, members of Raynes Park Methodist Church had organised the annual walk on the common, but this is the first year when none of them were able to go on the walk, either due to old age or having moved away. However, the Emperor’s relatives decided to maintain the family tradition and hold the walk regardless, later going to a restaurant for lunch.
Emperor hosts fundraiser quiz night
Yesterday evening, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor hosted a fundraising quiz night at Carshalton Methodist Church. Emperor Jonathan I set up a quiz evening in a hall next to Carshalton Methodist Church as a means of fundraising for the construction of a cultural centre being built by his own church, the Greek Orthodox Church of Ss. Constantine and Helen. Money raised by the entry price was split between the two churches. Emperor Mother Margaret and Crown Princess Caroline, both of whom regularly attend Carshalton Methodist, helped the Emperor prepare the hall for the quiz. Refreshments during a break in the middle were free, but the Crown Princess was also selling home-made cakes to raise money for a humanitarian trip to India she plans to go on with her school next year. Over £150 was raised for Carshalton Methodist, St. Constantine’s, and the fund for Crown Princess Caroline’s India trip. The entire population of Greater Wrythe attended the quiz night, as did several members of Carshalton Methodist, with an overall attendance of over 30. There were seven rounds, on subjects including history, geography, general knowledge, and famous quotations. The members of the winning team each got a notebook and pen as a prize.
Six years of independence celebrated
The sixth anniversary of the Austenasian Declaration of Independence has been celebrated across the Empire, while local elections have been called for next month. His Imperial Majesty the Emperor and his parents celebrated Independence Day with a meal out this evening at a local restaurant. Crown Princess Caroline was unable to accompany them due to schoolwork. The occasion was also marked across the Empire – a parade took place in New Richmond, a ceremony was held in Oregonia, and a museum has been opened in Lichtenstein. Furthermore, the customary Independence Day honours list was released by Emperor Jonathan I. Amongst those granted honours was Lord Dux Joseph Kennedy, who has been appointed Caesar. Now known as HIH Joseph Nobilissimus Caesar, the founder of New Richmond has been appointed the Emperor’s deputy over the two Crown Dependencies in North America, Shineshore and Oregonia. Furthermore, the Governing Commissioner of the latter of these two, King Adam I of Überstadt, has been granted subjectship of the Empire, raising Austenasia’s population to fifty people. In an Imperial Edict given yesterday, the Emperor also announced that local elections will take place on 11 October. The last local elections took place in November last year, but since then several new Towns have joined the Empire, meaning that a large proportion of those in the House of Representatives are serving as Acting Representatives, without a democratic mandate. Subjects have one week in which to announce their intention to stand for Representative.