Mouzilo joins the Empire as Ionathanopolis dissolves
Thursday 14th saw former Ashukov district Mouzilo become an Austenasian Crown Dependency, while the Town of Ionathanopolis was ceded back to the USA. Mouzilo, an enclave of central Greece, had been a constituent district of the now-defunct Ashukov Federation. With Ashukovo having collapsed, Mouzilo’s leader and sole resident, Manolis Afentoulis, arranged for his land to be annexed by the Empire of Austenasia. However, Thursday also saw a loss to the Empire as the Town of Ionathanopolis was dissolved. The Representative of the Town had last contacted the government in August 2017, and numerous attempts to get in contact with him since had yielded no reply. The decision was therefore made to dissolve the Town. Ionathanopolis had a population of five, which with the simultaneous annexation of Mouzilo resulted in a net loss of four people from the Austenasian population. However, this has been offset to a loss of two, with two non-residential subjectships having been granted by the Monarch on the same day under legislation passed last year. The legislation which annexed Mouzilo and dissolved Ionathanopolis was also used to formally recognise the collapse of Ashukovo. In other news, Jonathan I announced the formal start of spring 2019 in the Austenasian calendar on 13 February.
Parkland annexed as new Crown Dependency
On Wednesday 5th, the most recent expansion of the Empire took place with the annexation of the Crown Dependency of Kingeston. Kingeston, which consists of just over two and a half acres of parkland bordered by the Canadian province of Ontario, was claimed for Austenasia by Austin Jaax, who has been appointed Governing Commissioner of the new claim and given a position in the Privy Council. As a Crown Dependency, Kingeston will not be represented in Parliament but will be administered by Jaax autonomously from the central government. In other news, on 4 December, the Emperor announced the official start of winter in the Austenasian calendar.
Countess Eritoshi resigns from politics
Countess Eritoshi of Memphis, Prime Minister from November 2013 to March 2015, has announced her resignation from Austenasian government. The Countess today resigned from her offices as Deputy Prime Minister and as Chief Advisor of the Privy Council, and relinquished her title of Augusta. She remains a member of the Privy Council and a military officer as Legate of Legio I Britannica. Countess Eritoshi earlier this year resigned as Chief Ambassador in March, and later refrained from running for re-election as Representative for her home town of Thanasia. Although she no longer has an interest in politics, the Countess has reaffirmed her commitment to her military position, and remains leader of the autonomous County of Memphis in Orly. Her successor as Prime Minister, the incumbent Lord Admiral Joseph, has replaced Eritoshi as Chief Advisor of the Privy Council. In other news, the Emperor has announced that 8 June will be the first day of the summer of 2016 in the Austenasian calendar.
Parliament approves constitutional amendments
The First Amendment to the Austenasian Constitution of 2011 has now been approved by Parliament and will enter into force on 20 September. Several amendments to the constitution (explained here) were proposed last month by Emperor Jonathan I, the first time that any change to the constitution has been formally proposed since its adoption in September 2011. Constitutional amendments require approval in a referendum and the approval of over 80% of the Representatives in Parliament. The Monarch must also give their consent. A referendum held on 31 August had 89.47% of voters (with a turnout of 77.55%) support the amendments. An Act of Parliament was soon proposed to implement the amendments, to which nine out of the ten Representatives would have to support in order to reach the threshold of over 80%. As soon as the ninth Representative gave their support last night, the Emperor granted Imperial Consent to the Act, making it law. Now that Parliament has approved of the amendments, they will come into force at one second past midnight on the morning of Sunday 20th September. In other news, the Emperor has announced that 13 September was the first day of autumn 2015 in the Austenasian calendar.
Imperial Library founded
In celebration of Imperium Day, Emperor Jonathan I has announced the foundation of the Imperial Library. The Emperor founded the library by an edict this afternoon. Based in the Imperial Residence, the Library contains numerous books and documents, including many relevant to the history of the Empire. The Imperial Library is in three parts – Section A, the largest, is situated in the Imperial Quarters; Section B, the smallest, in Parliament Hall; and the books in Section C are in storage in the Imperial Attic. From now on, a copy of every piece of Austenasian legislation will be deposited in the Imperial Library. An online catalogues of the items in the library can be seen here. Imperium Day is observed every 4 June, in celebration of when, in that day in 2011, the then German Emperor recognised the imperial rank of the Austenasian Throne. In other news, the Emperor used the edict establishing the Imperial Library to also announce yesterday – 3 June – to have been the first day of Summer 2015 in the Austenasian calendar.
Administrative changes coincide with more territorial expansion
The Empire expanded yet again yesterday evening with the annexation of a house in Bury St Edmunds and a patch of land in South America. Meanwhile, the Crown Dependency of Terentia (situated in North America) has been transitioned into a Town, with the now Lord Legate Jacob Lewis as its Acting Representative. A house in Bury St Edmunds has been annexed as a March, a new form of administrative division. Marches have been created as inhabited territories associated with a Town for electoral but not administrative purposes; effectively autonomous parts of a Town, voting for and represented in Parliament by the Representative of the associated Town, but not officially part of it and administered independently by a Margrave and/or Margravine living in the March. The house, annexed as the March of Caldari, has been associated with Palasia. It is inhabited and administered by John and Maria Alexis, the grandparents of Lord John of Palasia, who have been appointed its Margrave and Margravine. This has raised the Austenasia population to 61. Furthermore, a 35,000 square foot area of land in South America has joined the Empire as the Crown Dependency of Achem. Bordered by the Venezuelan city of Mérida, Achem is administered by Tarek Kârjasary, who has been appointed its Governing Commissioner. In other news, the Emperor announced the start of Winter 2014/15 in the Austenasian calendar on 1 December.
Rose’s ashes buried in Wrythe
An urn containing the ashes of Rose has been buried in Wrythe Pet Cemetery after a short ceremony. Rose, Mascot of the Order of the Bullmastiff and pet of the immediate Imperial Family, died in late April after being diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. After being cremated, her ashes were brought back to Wrythe on 13 May, where the urn containing them was placed in Bullmastiff Hall for the rest of the month. This afternoon, the immediate Imperial Family held a ceremony in Wrythe Public Park during which the urn containing Rose’s ashes was buried in the pet cemetery. The Emperor Father said a few words and placed the urn in the grave which had been dug, after which he, the Emperor, and the Crown Princess each placed some soil on the urn in the grave. The Emperor Mother was also in attendance together with Edd, the surviving pet bullmastiff of the Imperial Family. After the urn had been buried, a plaque was placed over the grave to mark the place of burial, and a rose was fittingly placed on the grave. The ashes were buried close to the grave of Alpha Primus, a puppy of Rose’s who was still-born during her pregnancy in June 2010. In other news, the Emperor announced today to be the first day of Summer 2014 in the Austenasian calendar.
Theodorist Party disbanded as Spring begins in Austenasia
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Jonathan I earlier today passed an Imperial Decree disbanding the Theodorist Party of Austenasia (TPA) and abolishing the system of formally registered political parties. Although political parties can still be formed as informal voluntary associations, the decree reflects on the fact that “partisan politics is not to the liking of the Austenasian people” – all but two of the twenty three members of the TPA were foreigners. This sees the Emperor distancing himself from Theodorism, a model he published in January 2012 (while still Crown Prince) for a theoretical social order combining elements of socialism and monarchy. The decree states that “the imposition of a new social order is… [not] necessary within the Empire… [and] the formal implementation of Theodorism within Austenasia would do little more than prevent any necessary future adaptions that Austenasian society may have to make.” It also claims that the core tenets of Theodorism are already de facto in place in the populated areas of the Empire, with those who can work doing so and providing for those who cannot. A modified version of Theodorism was successfully adopted by Überstadt last year; the decree passed by Jonathan I specifically states that it is in no way a suggestion or endorsement “that they should cease to follow that model”. Likewise, an autonomous branch of the TPA functioning in Monovia will not be affected by the dissolution. The decree also announces the start of Spring 2014 tomorrow (21 February) in the Austenasian calendar.
Winter begins as Palasia threatened with storm evacuation
His Imperial Majesty the Emperor has announced the official start of winter 2013-4 in the Austenasian calendar, as a storm forces thousands from their homes in the United Kingdom. In the UK, two people have died and tens of thousands of homes are without electricity due to the storm, with winds over 100 mph having been recorded in some locations. Thousands have been evacuated from their homes in preparation for a storm surge along the east coast of England. Deputy Prime Minister Lord John Gordon informed government officials over Skype earlier today that his town of Palasia has been put under a state of emergency, being situated close to the areas in which the British government has issued flood warnings. He also noted that flooding of Palasia was “anticipated” and evacuation was “possible”. Other areas of mainland Austenasia are not thought to be so much at risk, although all have been experiencing above-average wind speeds throughout the day, with heavy rain falling in Greater Wrythe this afternoon. Glencrannog is forecasted to have sleet and strong winds tonight, but that is unlikely to affect its non-existent population. The Emperor has sent a message of support to Palasia and advised all residents to stay indoors should they be worried about the weather. UPDATE 6 DECEMBER 11:00 – Lord John Gordon has informed the Emperor that the residents of Palasia “are all fine”, and that despite it being “very windy with a bit of flooding” there was “nothing serious”. The state of emergency within Palasia, under which Lord John had been given emergency powers, has also been lifted.
Autumn starts in Austenasia as university approaches
His Imperial Majesty the Emperor has announced the beginning of the autumn of 2013 in the Austenasian calendar. The announcement of the official change of season, a prerogative first exercised by the Throne in November 2008 but only found in law since September 2009, was made by Emperor Jonathan I over Skype earlier today to several government members. Next week, the Emperor will start a three year course in Theology at the University of Roehampton. He will be living in accommodation at the university, but will travel back to the Imperial Residence several times a month, the university being less than seven miles away from Wrythe. He will be attending Roehampton University with Countess Eritoshi, who will not be living there but will instead travel from Thanasia on British public transport.
