Land from gemstone-rich area claimed for Austenasia
A 1.44 acre property in Utah was annexed to the Empire of Austenasia today after being claimed by its landowner, Lord Michael Simpson. The property, which has been named Rubrum Beryllium, is uninhabited. The land is situated in a district where discoveries of red beryl – also known as bixbite or red emerald – have been made. Red beryl is a very rare gemstone of high value. It is hoped for a prospecting mission to take place in the near future. Should any red beryl be found in Rubrum Beryllium itself, it would be of great financial benefit to the Empire. Lord Simpson is one of the Empire’s leading landowners. He has previously claimed three other territories – Florencium Carolina, Elliessium Colorandum, and Golcondiarum – for Austenasia, all of which he owns and administers as Governor.
Fraternitas gifted to New Virginia as stability returns
Monday 1st November saw the Austenasian Territory of Fraternitas ceded to the Commonwealth of New Virginia. Following the chaotic events in New Virginia earlier this year (link to the Adammic Express), leaders of the failed 29th of July Movement coup led their own territories in secession from New Virginia. This left the Commonwealth without any land from the original Duchy of New Virginia which amicably seceded from Austenasia in February last year. Upon last year’s said secession, Fraternitas – an uninhabited area of one of the Towns which formed the newly independent Commonwealth – was retained by Austenasia at the suggestion of the now Lady Admiral Kennedy, as a sign of the common heritage and enduring friendship between Austenasia and New Virginia. However, earlier this year, far from functioning as a sign of friendship, Fraternitas was used to stoke tensions between the two nations. Sophia Albina, a New Virginian politician who also held Austenasian nationality, attempted in various falsehood-laden statements to persuade the New Virginian government to unilaterally claim Fraternitas from the Empire and declare Austenasia an “enemy” and “threat”. This led to her being convicted of treason and stripped of Austenasian nationality. Although the New Virginian government distanced itself from Albina’s words and actions, discomfort with her suggestion that Austenasian possession of Fraternitas was in some way a colonial occupation led to the Austenasian government seeking to arrange diplomatic talks with New Virginia to discuss the future of the territory. Before such talks could be held, however, the 29th of July Movement announced their seizure of power. This led to a low-point in Austenasian-New Virginian relations, with the alliance between the two nations being formally ended. With the coup having failed, New Virginia has slowly but surely been rebuilt. Adam I of Adammia became Acting President, and oversaw a return to political stability and the organisation of a new presidential election. This saw Sir Sertor Valentinus elected as New Virginia’s new President, inaugurated on 19 October in an online ceremony attended by both Jonathan I and new Prime Minister Lord William Wilson. However, with the departure of so many of the revolutionaries, New Virginia was described by many as having been left a “rump state”. The acquisition of Fraternitas by New Virginia would once more give it land that was part of the former Austenasian Duchy of the same name. With the consent of Lady Admiral Kennedy, the Emperor passed an Imperial Decree in October ceding Fraternitas to New Virginia effective as of 1 November. Eager for a return to friendly relations with the Commonwealth, the decree was quickly approved by the House of Representatives. The Emperor’s Imperial Decree stated the following: “We can think of no better way for Fraternitas to fulfil the meaning of its name than by serving as a gift made in good faith by the Empire to provide the Commonwealth of New Virginia with a physical connection to the original Austenasian Duchy of the same name. Our Imperial Majesty reiterates and reaffirms our will for peace and friendship with New Virginia, and our confidence in the legitimate elected government of the same moving forward from the events of the past several months.” Although the Empire and Commonwealth have their differences, it is hoped that this donation of territory will not only remove a prospective source of conflict and undermine Albina’s claims of Austenasian hostility, but cement a friendly and co-operative relationship between the two states moving forward into the future.
Another territory claimed as Hoagland ceded
Saturday 10th July saw Hoagland ceded back to the United States of America at the same time as a new territory was annexed from the same country. Hoagland was claimed in July 2017 as an Austenasian Territory after previous periods under the sovereignty of Adammia and the Holy Roman Empire, and was governed by its founder, Grant Hawkins, who lived nearby. Consisting of a grassy area bordered by Ohio, Hoagland was administered by Hawkins until earlier this year, when he and his family moved aware from the area. Hawkins was unable to find a replacement for the office of governor, and so the decision was made to dissolve the claim. In a symbolic nod to their previous claims over the land, Adammia and the Holy Roman Empire have both been given a nominal chance to reclaim Hoagland before it is ceded back to the USA. Simultaneously, however, a new Territory has been established with the annexation of Travarn. Travarn is comprised of a wooded area and contains a hunting post. It is the personal property of Lord Hunter Prater, who has claimed it for Austenasia and been appointed its governor, and it is an enclave of north Alabama. Travarn measures 40 acres, whereas Hoagland was just over a third of an acre; this exchange of claims has therefore been a large net territorial gain for Austenasia.
Campo Del Sol dissolved as Albina convicted of treason
The Territory of Campo Del Sol was dissolved on Sunday 27th June in the aftermath of its founder, Sophia Albina, being convicted of treason for advocating its seizure by another country. In recent days, Albina has played a major role in a significant downturn in relations between Austenasia and its ally New Virginia, in which she is also a politician. This began after she made inflammatory statements in the New Virginian legislature which included false accusations against Austenasia as a whole and Emperor Jonathan I specifically, and introduced legislation to declare the Empire an “enemy” and “threat” and to claim the Austenasian territories of Campo Del Sol and Fraternitas. New Virginia is a former Austenasian duchy which amicably seceded from the Empire in February last year. The two nations established a formal state of alliance upon New Virginian independence, and have maintained a strong friendship ever since. Fraternitas had been part of one of the claims which joined the newly independent country, but was retained by the Empire at the suggestion of now President Kennedy in a gesture of goodwill and fraternity. Campo Del Sol was claimed for Austenasia by Albina herself in June 2019. Neither area of land is inhabited. It is unlikely that Albina’s proposed law will pass, but the inflammatory rhetoric used by Albina and the false accusations levelled against Austenasia have led to an increase in support within New Virginia for the idea of ending the alliance. Senior New Virginian politicians downplayed Albina’s actions and rhetoric as that of a radical unrepresentative of the New Virginian government. However, Albina then spammed a Discord server hosted by the Austenasian government with images comparing herself to the rebels who fought against the Austenasian government in the 2010 civil war. This resulted in a bill being introduced in Parliament to strip Albina of her nationality and titles and to dissolve Campo Del Sol, preventing it from being used as “leverage” against the Empire. However, objections were raised given that action was being taken despite Albina not having been tried for her actions. Due to encouraging another country to seize Austenasian land and actively working against Austenasia’s national security and international standing, treason charges were formally brought against Albina on Saturday 26th at the request of the Chief Inspector. The evidence against her was presented, but despite being invited several times to make a legal defence she chose rather to use profane language and insult the jurors while making further unfounded accusations against the Austenasian government. In her final statement, she called for Campo Del Sol to be “freed” (despite the land being uninhabited and her claiming it for Austenasia in the first place) and for an unspecified “new Emperor” for Austenasia. The jury presented a verdict of guilty the following morning. The Consuls – Duke Bradley of Dullahan and Princess Hannah Augusta – agreed on a sentence of indefinite exile, with Albina now forbidden to enter Austenasia until the Throne sees fit to allow it. With Albina having been given a chance to defend her actions, the bill previously proposed in Parliament was passed, dissolving Campo Del Sol and stripping her of her Austenasian national status and titles. An online meeting between diplomatic representatives of Austenasia and New Virginia has been proposed for the near future to discuss the downturn in relations and search for a resolution.
New Town claimed in Estonia
Friday 25th saw a new Town established after two brothers claimed half of their family house for Austenasia. The elder of the two brothers, the now Lord Sander Koff, has been appointed Acting Representative of the new Town of Oppidum Tubae. Oppidum Tubae is an enclave of Estonia, and the property of which it has claimed half was built in 1939. This is not the first Austenasian town to bisect a single building. The former town of Thanasia and the current town of Chalcedon were both established with a claim over only the part of the respective property inhabited by the Austenasians-to-be. The name of the new claim means “Trumpet Town” in Latin.
New territory annexed in Australia
Earlier this week saw a new Territory claimed by the Empire of Austenasia in Australia. The new land claim, Western Jarrahview, is comprised of an uninhabited roughly 155,000 square foot wooded area. The area was claimed by the now Lord Daniel Roscoe, who has been appointed Governor of the new territory. An Imperial Decree accepting the claim and officially annexing Western Jarrahview was promulgated by Emperor Jonathan I on the evening of January 5th. However, with the difference in time zones, this was past midnight on January 6th in Western Jarrahview, which will be considered its official date of foundation. Western Jarrahview is only the second land claim of Austenasia in Australia, or in Oceania as a whole. The first, New South Scotland, became an Austenasian Crown Dependency in January 2013.
Two new Austenasian Towns founded
Sunday 20th December saw two new Towns formed in the Empire of Austenasia. Blue Ridge, which was founded in July as an uninhabited Territory, became a Town after it expanded to claim a neighbouring residential property. The second new town is New Flat Rock, a property claimed from North Carolina for Austenasia by its residents and owner. Both new towns have a population of five, and so have boosted Austenasia’s population by ten to one hundred and nineteen, a new record. Lady Addison Dillon, governor of Blue Ridge while it was a territory, has been appointed its Acting Representative now it is a town. The now Lord Hunter Prater, who led the initiative of claiming New Flat Rock for Austenasia, has been made its Acting Representative and granted the title Count of Henderson.
Bregusland’s territory to be ceded in the New Year
The Crown Dependency of Bregusland will be dissolved as a territorial entity at the end of the year. This was formalised by an Act of Parliament passed yesterday. The land composing the Crown Dependency will be ceded back to the United States due to its population moving to a new property. The current residents of Bregusland will be granted non-residential subjectship and so remain Austenasians. Bregusland was founded as an Austenasian Territory in March 2019, expanding into a Crown Dependency with the annexation of a neighbouring house in March earlier this year.
Record-breaking expansion with new Crown Dependency
Tuesday 27th October saw the Crown Dependency of Pontunia founded with the annexation of a large number of properties from the outskirts of New Orleans. Pontunia was founded in January 2020, and has existed as a self-governing community since then under the leadership of its duke, Andrew I. Dozens of relatives and family friends joined Pontunia, claiming their houses for the duchy, which also claimed two local parks frequented by its citizens. The idea of coming under Austenasia’s sphere of influence grew in popularity in Pontunia, until Andrew I contacted the Austenasian government earlier this month with a request to join the Empire as an autonomous Crown Dependency. This new annexation has broken several records. For one, it is the largest boost to the Austenasian population in history, with twenty three new residents. The has increased the Austenasian population to a record high of 109. As well as becoming the local-level administrative division with the largest population in Austenasian history (the previous record held by New Richmond at 20), Pontunia is also comprised of the greatest number of non-contiguous areas of land, with fifteen separate land claims (thirteen houses and two parks). As a Crown Dependency, Pontunia now falls under Austenasian sovereignty, but is autonomous from Parliament and Cabinet in regard to domestic affairs, in which absolute power is held by the Emperor and exercised by his governing commissioner (in this case Duke Andrew I). For domestic administration, the Duke has chosen to retain the system of government held by Pontunia prior to its annexation.
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.
