University places confirmed for Jonathan I and Countess Eritoshi

The places applied for by His Imperial Majesty the Emperor and Countess Eritoshi of Memphis at the University of Roehampton have both “been confirmed” by UCAS as their exam results were released this morning. The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), the admission service for applications to universities in the UK, sent Emperor Jonathan I and the Countess of Memphis messages to their accounts on the UCAS website confirming their places after Roehampton University was sent their exam results. The Emperor and Countess both finished their A-level exams in June. An A-level – officially known as an Advanced Level General Certificate of Education – is a qualification earned in the UK after two years of study at the completion of pre-university education. A-levels of a certain grade are required to enter university. Both the Emperor and Countess will attend the University of Roehampton in September, the former to study Theology and the latter Zoology. The University is less than a mile away from the southern bank of the River Thames, and the Emperor plans to live there for most of his three year course. Jonathan I obtained an A in Sociology, a B in Government and Politics, and a B in Law. He has received congratulations via telephone and Facebook from several friends and members of the extended Imperial Family.

Populations of Wrythe and Thanasia return from Wales

The immediate Imperial Family returned to Wrythe yesterday evening from holiday in North Wales. The four residents of Wrythe stayed in a large house in the coastal town of Criccieth. Unbeknownst to them until a few months previously, the population of Thanasia (Countess Eritoshi and her sister) and their parents were also staying in North Wales the same week, a few miles away in the town of Harlech. The two families met on Monday morning and Thursday afternoon, exploring Harlech Castle before investigating rockpools and swimming on the nearby beach on the latter occasion. The Wrythians had arrived on Saturday 3rd August, whereas the Thanasians had arrived on Friday 2nd, climbing a nearby mountain on Saturday. Horse rides, ten-pin bowling, archery, coastal walks and a visit to a petting farm were just some of the activities that the residents of Wrythe partook in during their week away. The Emperor used the time spent in long car journeys to write up three new Imperial Decrees, which can be seen on the Austenasian government website.

Austenasian-Wessaxon alliance ends

At 11:47 later today, precisely three years after it was signed, the Empire of Austenasia will withdraw from the Treaty of Wilton. The Treaty of Wilton was signed during a state visit by the then Crown Prince Jonathan and other members of the Imperial Family to Moylurg, a predecessor state of what is now New Wessex. It was signed between Crown Prince Jonathan and King Declan I near the River Wylye in the Moylurgian capital Wilton, and established a military alliance between Moylurg and the Empire. Although never used to call either nation to arms in defence of the other, the Treaty of Wilton established a diplomatic link with New Wessex unequalled in strength by any other country recognised by Austenasia. In recent months, relations between Austenasia and New Wessex have swiftly declined, catalysed by the circumstances surrounding the abdication of Declan I from the Austenasian Throne in January and the liberation of Orly from Wessaxon rule in June. Emperor Jonathan I confirmed on 12 July that there had been an “irreparable breakdown in relations and communication” between himself and Declan I in an Imperial Decree which cut many of the ties between Austenasia and New Wessex, including the revocation of the status of Declan I as an Austenasian subject and the relinquishing of Wessaxon titles and citizenship by Jonathan I, and gave notice that the alliance between the two countries would end on 7 August. A further Imperial Decree passed on 5 August removed what was perhaps the only other tie between the nations, the capacity for Austenasian subjects to hold dual citizenship with New Wessex, which had been confirmed in April 2012.

The Emperor returns from Paris

His Imperial Majesty Emperor Jonathan I has returned to the Imperial Residence after spending five days in Paris. The 2013 Intermicronational Summit which he attended in Paris was also attended by representatives from Francisville, Juclandia, Rukora, Draega, Lostisland, Angyalistan, and the Formori Institute, with a total of nine delegates taking part. The Emperor arrived in Paris on Monday 15th, the first day of the summit. He shared an apartment with Sir Sebastian Linden of Francisville and Pristinia, Tom Turner of Rukora, and Sir Daniel Morris of Draega and Lostisland. The delegates staying in the apartment met most days with King Ciprian I of Juclandia, who was staying in Paris with his girlfriend and cousin. Representatives of Angyalistan and of the Formori Institute were also met on Thursday and Friday evening respectively. The delegates used the five days there to take part in a great deal of discussion on relations between their nations, international politics, and the GUM. They also visited many Parisian landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triumph, Louvre Museum, and Notre Dame Cathedral. A new international residential summit is already being planned for July next year in Perugia, Italy.

2013 Intermicronational Summit begins in Paris

The third summit of politicians and diplomats involving a large number of members of the MicroWiki Community has begun in Paris. His Imperial Majesty Emperor Jonathan I arrived in Paris yesterday with Tom Turner, leader of Rukora and former Viceroy of Hookwood in the now-defunct Slinky Empyre. They later met with King Ciprian I of Juclandia and his nephew. After eating at a restuarant near to the apartment at which the Emperor and Turner are staying, the group went to Mountmarte hill, from which a view of a large part of Paris can be seen. Sir Sebastian Linden of Francisville will be arriving at the apartment Tuesday afternoon, and Sir Daniel Morris of Draega will be arriving Wednesday morning. Sogoln Yg Ysca of the Formori Institute has also expressed interest in meeting with the summit members at some point later in the week. The summit will last until Saturday 20th, and follows on from the 2011 Intermicronational Summit in Hyde Park and the 2012 PoliNation Summit in Chelsea.

Palasia annexed as ties cut with New Wessex

The Sixth Imperial Decree of HIM Emperor Jonathan I, passed earlier today, has annexed Palasia as a fourth Town of the Empire while cutting most remaining ties with the United Kingdom of New Wessex. The first part of the decree annexes as the Town of Palasia a house near the Norfolk town of Thetford, appointing Lord John Gordon – an inhabitant who has previously run many of his own micronations – as its Baron and Acting Representative. Palasia has a population of four, and spans nearly 1400 square feet. The annexation of Palasia is the sixth expansion of Austenasia since Jonathan I became Emperor in January – since the start of his reign, the Empire has expanded on an average of once a month. Palasia is the fourth Town of Austenasia, joining Wrythe, Zephyria and Thanasia. The second part of today’s Imperial Decree has cut many of the ties between Austenasia and New Wessex. In the decree, the Emperor states that the measures taken are “due to an irreparable breakdown in relations and communication between Our Imperial Majesty and His Majesty the King of New Wessex”. King Declan I of New Wessex, former Emperor himself, was deposed from Orly last month in a rebellion, which has subsequently been hailed a “liberation” from foreign rule by Orlian citizens. The Emperor has confirmed that he has not spoken with Declan I since. The decree has given notice that Austenasia will withdraw from its military alliance with New Wessex on 7 August 2013, which was formed with its predecessor state Moylurg on 7 August 2010. The status of Declan I as an Austenasian subject has been revoked, and Jonathan I has relinquished his Wessaxon title Duke of Atlantos (held since November 2010), relinquished an honorary Wessaxon citizenship, and resigned from his position as Ambassador to New Wessex.

County of Memphis granted autonomy from the Grove

His Imperial Majesty Emperor Jonathan I has passed an edict granting the County of Memphis autonomy from the Kingdom of the Grove, of which it is a part. The Grove and Copan (collectively known as Orly) were both liberated from foreign rule by a rebellion last week which refounded the two states as they existed prior to Declan I of Wilcsland seizing control over them in December 2010. Jonathan I accepted the wish of the Orlian people to have the two kingdoms restored under Austenasian suzerainty, as Orlians generally regard the authority of their monarchs to come from the Austenasian Throne, which appoints them. Having appointed new monarchs of Copan and the Grove last week, Jonathan I also promised that he would grant Memphis, capital of the Grove, relative autonomy. Her Illustrious Highness Countess Eritoshi, a close friend of the Emperor, has held the title Countess of Memphis since September last year. In a lengthy proclamation issued by the Emperor last night, Memphis itself and a large part of the surrounding area in the Grove have been incorporated into a County of Memphis, ruled by Countess Eritoshi, who now has the power to veto any command of the King of the Grove in regards to Memphis and, while recognising him as her feudal superior, cannot have her title or powers removed by him. The proclamation, named the Second Edict of Orly, is nearly two thousand words long due to also delineating in precise detail the exact boundaries between Orly and the United Kingdom, and within Orly between the Grove and Copan.

Declan I deposed as Austenasian suzerainty reasserted over Orly

Dissatisfaction with Declan I broke out into open rebellion in Orly today as citizens declared the King of New Wessex deposed from Orly and asked the Emperor to appoint new monarchs. King Declan I of New Wessex, who has ruled Orly as a Wessaxon constituent country since January 2012, was due to visit Orly today. After it was found out that Declan had missed the first two trains and would arrive over two hours later than planned, a group of Orlian citizens who had met to greet him grew restless. Waiting for him to arrive, the citizens learnt that he planned to demand Jonathan I relinquish the title Shahanshah (King of the Kings) of the Carshalton Nations, a title assumed by Declan I himself when he was Emperor of Austenasia to denote the position held by the Emperor as overlord of the Carshalton Sector. This led to overt discontent, with the Orlians openly expressing their wish to be under Austenasian suzerainty rather than independent rule by a foreign monarch. Walking to Orly from the nearby train station, citizens refounded the kingdoms of the Grove and of Copan, polities which had been deprived of their sovereignty when Declan I unified them into the Tsardom of Orly (later declared part of New Wessex) in December 2010, and declared Declan deposed. Telephoning Declan I via mobile to inform him of the unfolding events, the Emperor discovered that he had not yet even bought his train ticket. Realising that it may be ill-advised to go ahead, Declan cancelled the visit. Given the phone by Jonathan I, Countess Eritoshi of Memphis bluntly told Declan I that there was no support for his reign in Orly to continue and stressed that Orlians would always consider the Emperor as overlord, resulting in Declan relinquishing New Wessex’s claim to sovereignty over Orly. The Emperor, Countess Eritoshi and Crown Princess Caroline (the latter giving her consenting vote via mobile) passed an Act of Parliament renouncing Austenasian recognition of Wessaxon sovereignty over Orly. Emperor Jonathan I then made an Imperial Edict appointing Calum I – the founder of Orly, and Duke of the Grove under New Wessex – King of the Grove, appointing prominent Orlian citizen Emma I as Queen of Copan, and promising autonomy for the County of Memphis in the Grove to Countess Eritoshi. Orly was founded on 4 July 2010, being split into the Kingdoms of Copan and of the Grove later that month, both recognising the suzerainty of Austenasia and the right of the Emperor to appoint Orlian monarchs. Declan I, the first King of Copan, rejected Austenasian suzerainty over Orly when he reunified it in December 2010 as part of a larger secret plan to remove the then Emperor Esmond III from power, but its citizens always made clear their recognition of the Emperor as their overlord. Esmond III and several Orlian citizens who were unable to attend the would-be visit have expressed their delight at the news that Orly is once more under the suzerainty of the Empire.

Jonathan I returns to MicroWiki Community

Emperor Jonathan I has announced the end of a self-imposed period of partial withdrawal from the MicroWiki Community which started earlier this year. His Imperial Majesty announced on 7 March that he would stop active editing on MicroWiki and withdraw from the majority of Skype chatrooms associated with its users “so as to be able to better focus… time and effort on revision” for his A2 exams (the second year of the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level), the last of which took place today. The Emperor has now completed courses in sociology, law, and politics, the results of which will be revealed on 15 August. He intends to study at the University of Roehampton in September along with Countess Eritoshi of Memphis, who finishes her exams next week. Since 7 March, Jonathan I has made less edits on MicroWiki than he did in the last week of February alone. He has also made a total of seven posts on the MicroWiki Forums, having previously had an average of over a post a day since joining the forums in January 2011. His Imperial Majesty announced his full-time return to the MicroWiki Community earlier this afternoon.

Summer 2013 starts in Austenasia

His Imperial Majesty the Emperor has announced today to be the first day of the summer of 2013 in the Austenasian calendar. Greater Wrythe has seen sunny weather recently, in contrast to a cold and rainy spring. Temperatures are predicted by the UK Met Office to reach 22°C later this afternoon, which could make today the hottest day of the year so far (the same temperature also having been recorded in late April) after the coldest spring in 50 years. The Emperor has also confirmed that the spring of 2013 in the Austenasian calendar started on 13 March, an announcement which was not widely publicised outside of the immediate Imperial Family.