Elwynn, Land of Princely Elections and a People's Academy

ELIRIA, ELWYNN - Once upon a time, a long long time ago, Princes were born of nobility and generally ended up as Kings, or came to a tragic end. However, in the twenty-first century, Princes are not only not noble, but elected! Sometimes public opinion can be divided over whether such a contemporary development is a Good Thing or not. All we know is that in the Union of Elwynn, Amokolia and Hurmu, it's constitutional, and right now, nominations are being received, and occasionally withdrawn. 

We can tell you that the current candidates are the very keen Elijah Ayreon, recently abdicated Kaiser of Shireroth, Patrick "Prometheus" Monticaeae, recent immigrant, and Lord Erion, currently President of the Senate and Steward of the Elwynn Free State.

Candidates who have so far withdrawn from the princely race include another recent immigrant, Aaden Allot, and the current Regent, none other than the infamous Ardashir Osmani, Emir of Raspur.

Regent Osmani, in the face of his regency facing imminent termination upon the election of a new Prince, has already taken the opportunity to create a new job for himself, in the form of the Dean of Rhetoric at the newly recreated People's Academy of Elwynn. The Academy, comprising a remarkably swift yet extensive makeover of the former Temple of the Winds, was authorised yesterday by the erstwhile Regent in the form of an appropriately wordy Instrument of Government.

It is worth noting that, in the cultural spirit of the times, the Academy is officially called Alôqoqar Etâqon Adurellion. We don't know how that's actually pronounced, but we can guarantee that it's not as easy as it might look.

In other news...

Thanks to our recent timely intervention, the extremely moribund Benacian Conference on Standardization might actually be put out of its misery shortly, thus potentially saving it from an even more protracted death that it might otherwise have experienced. Even its creator, one Elijah Ayreon, has now reluctantly admitted that he might finally be giving up on it.

And finally...

Carl Jackson Miller, recently-elected Praetor of the Republic of Shireroth, and even more recently-rejected uncitizen of the Union of Elwynn, Amokolia and Hurmu, has nevertheless just been rather speedily accepted as a citizen of the Bovic Dominion of Natopia, even though it is still a protectorate of the Union of Elwynn, Amokolia and Hurmu. As the ancient proverb goes, may we live in interesting times.

Opinion: The Hypocracies of Hanover

In which His Majesty Osman Shahanshah of the Kingdom of Babkha casts his eye over the public workings of Hanover and finds no redeeming features whatsoever.

While Hanover denounces simulationist micronations, its very own Prime Minister proposed to the 'Imperial Parliament' the establishment of a simulated economy and health care system, an example of joined-up government which drew a scathing response from the honourable Sir Carson Smith, who was quite surprised to find himself sitting in an Imperial Parliament when he had most certainly entered a House of Lords and Commons Together Assembled.

This incongruity being thus highlighted drew the sheepish admission from Prime Minister Portela that he had in fact copied most of the speech from one made to the 'Imperial Parliament' of the Empire of the Alexandrians, a simulationist micronation over which the Prime Minister of Hanover presides as Emperor.

None of this impressed Sir Carson, who remarked that "Copying speeches, regardless of who wrote them originally, is only going to make you look stupid. The Right Honorable gentleman still is not off the hook for the Imperial Parliament goof-up."

Hanoverians, it seems, are maybe starting to wonder about the comparative merits of allowing confessed simulationists attain the hallowed office of Prime Minister. More worryingly for Hanover it is perhaps the dearth of native talent that is forcing King Alexander to rely on imported potentates to provide his public officials, such as the current Prime Minister of Hanover, Mr Portela, his predecessor Mr Thompson, and the Speaker of the Assembled House, a certain Mr Dreesbach who happens to be the King of Interland, the sometimes disputed GC member-state and or Atteran province.

The Hanoverian delusion of sovereignty and nationhood does not so much place them on a par with Ascalon as with the myriad egostans of the 5th World Council led by the transcendental, or perhaps just plain mental, Cesidio Tallini.

- His Majesty Osman Shahanshah

Opinion: Beware Bergen's Revisionists of History

In which His Majesty Osman Shahanshah of the Kingdom of Babkha deplores recent attempts to rewrite the past and fondly reminisces about a golden age of micronationalism.

The President of that entity which refers to itself as the Federal Republic of Cyberia, but which we all know to be the latest manifestation of Jacobus' near decade-long smear-campaign against the legitimate Virtual Commonwealth of Cyberia, did voice, at the Bergen Conference, an aside concerning the complex diplomatic situation that occurred in Morovia during the winter of 2001-2002:

"Does anyone remember the machinations carried out at the expense of Morovia? The infant Republic would not have had to kow-tow to Babkha for protection against the giant that was Tymaria, or accept the restoration of a monarchy they did not want."

In doing so, he did repeat a version of history as the Digas and Scott Alexanders of this world would have it, that either the Babkhans (as ever it seems) were entirely to blame or else both sides were as bad as the other. This is blatant poppycock.

When news of the demise of King Vincent's Kingdom reached the halls of Babak the Great it was my honour to be sent to make a reconnaissance of the failed state. The great tragedy of the Morovian forums in the absence of any meaningful central authority was that it was so badly structured and insecure that anyone could pretend to be anyone (as indeed we saw with the Tyrant Diga's lamentable attempt to pass himself off as 'King Vincent IV'.

Now, in the milieu by which we were confronted, many forces were clearly at work, including various scavengers of legitimacy not entirely unfamiliar to President Jacobus himself. Then of course there were the Tymarians who were looking there because we were there and there were some scuffles provoked on their part by the militarist Atteran desire to spark a wider war between the Kingdom of Babkha and Tymaria. The Atterans were at that time effectively the military wing of Tymaria, accounting for little aside from bellicosity. It was all in all a most wretched scene.

However, from amongst all the ruined edifices of Morovia there was at least found one gleaming gem, and that gem was not the Republic of Morovia, but rather Bob Kee, a Malaysian political activist of character and distinction, and of rare organisational ability. It was he alone who held the head of the 'infant Republic' above water. It was he alone who gave it grace and dignity, and it was his common sense and competence that above all else recommended him to us as the one coherent voice amongst the cacophony there.

Indeed there again, such was his good judgement and plain common sense that he and Shah Babak had an immediate meeting of minds. From thereon, a fruitful policy of engagement was born, marred only by the ham-fisted efforts of Tymarian Military Intelligence to infiltrate the Republic. The Republic, however, was illegitimate and it was Bob Kee's insistence rather than our own that led to that country returning to the honourable institution of monarchy.

Regrettably the true King Vincent was not to be found and Diga's manifestation as 'King Vincent IV' was contemptable. At a loss then, Mr Kee arranged to have the President crown as King in the interim, however long that should be. As such, Morovia rose in the estimation of all nations, save for Tymaria and those other petulant spirits who had been cheated of their mischief by the end to the chaos.

In the end, of course, it was all to end happily. Diga's antics in Morovia had come to the attention of the true King Vincent, apparently the third of that name, and happy was the occasion of his restoration.

In the end both Kingdoms benefitted and no true Morovian ever lost out from the restoration. Indeed Bob Kee also went on to become Abbas Namvari of Babkha, and in that capacity was to usher in almost single-handedly one of the most glorious chapters in that nation's history - the faint echo of which we still hear today in the Abbas Namvari-Charles Beard FNORD award.

- His Majesty Osman Shahanshah

Opinion: Matbaa versus Rastakhiz

While we have taken a break during the summer silly season, things have sufficiently cooled down this week to enable us to give brief consideration to a minor spat that has surfaced between two erstwhile micronational newsblogs: Dzez Matbaa and Radio Rastakhiz. We probably wouldn't have bothered if Dzez Matbaa allowed direct feedback, like ourselves, to published articles, but they seemingly don't, so we have bothered.

Anyway, it would seem that yesterday Radio Rastakhiz essentially accused the Matbaic government of hypocrisy by virtue of apparently permitting two of its key government figures to post messages from the same IP address, and thereby demonstrating that they were obviously one and the same person.

The only thing is, a brief bit of research of the Matbaic website, and of a thread about Matbaa in Micronational Eye, would have provided enough circumstancial evidence to significantly reduce that probability. (We're feeling generous so we'll offer a small prize to anyone who can identify the evidence and let us know if they can conclude what we have concluded from it).

Dzez Matbaa, in its haste to issue a suitable response, also skipped a bit of research. A quick search of the Babkhan forums and of Microwiki infers that Ardashir Khan is the Emir of Raspur all the time, but when he's Shah he's primarily Osman Shahanshah.

While we know we shouldn't jump to conclusions like everyone else, it's possible that a news blog like Radio Rastakhiz was called 'Radio' because its founders thought it was a good idea at the time.

Personally, though, we blame the Baracoãns.

Babkhan Heirs Announced

THE ROYAL SHAHYIAR PALACE, BABKHA - The long-awaited decision about the successors to the Royal Babkhan Throne was announced to the world on Tuesday by His Majesty Osman Shahanshah.

The decision was inspired by His Majesty being "mortally wounded" by the recent passing away of His Highness the Sultan of Hatay, Muhammed al-Baqir, known to rest of the micronational community as the erstwhile Master Robert Davis.

His Majesty's familial house, the Imperial House of Osmani, has now adopted the Imperial House of Rugahi, thus making His Excellency Mirza Darius Rugahi the new Crown Prince and Heir to the Kapav throne.

The second in line to the throne was revealed as being Rashid Arslani, of the Imperial House of Arslani, while His Imperial Majesty Tahmaseb Abakhtari, former Shah of Babkha and current Shahan-Ri of the Grand Commonwealth, is now the third in the line of succession.

The new heirs to the throne said they were very honoured in being chosen and wished the Shah of Babkha a long reign.

Taoiseach Announces New Cabinet: Builds Fences

THE APADANA, SAHANSARI-TARA; Newly elected Taoiseach, Lachlan Powers, has announced the new line up of Chancellors to administer the Micras spanning Grand Commonwealth. To tackle the mission the Taoiseach has set himself of bringing new life to the sprawling empire Lachlan has appointed the same familiar faces from the preceeding Ackbar Administration, the only ommission being Rakesh Ackbar himself, whose career is believed widely to be suffering from an excessive social life at university. Otherwise the continuity in personnel is striking.



Executive Order 006 was issued on Sunday 13 November 2005/Yekshanbeh 22 Aban 1384/2291 ASC. The appointments made are as follows:

Ardashir Khan Osmani, the Osman Shahanshah of Babkha, continues in the post of Protector of the Grand Commonwealth, a position that makes him defacto ruler of the Grand Commonwealth if the Taoiseach is absent from duty for any longer than a specified period of time; Darius Rugahi remains at the Gate of All Nations as Chancellor of External Affairs and Sir Iain de Vembria consolidates the control of his Secretariat over the internal workings of the Commonwealth as Chancellor of Internal Affairs.

The biggest shake up has been to the most active Chancellery, that of Defence in the Plaza of the Army. The office of the Chancellor of Defence has been replaced by two new positions - Chancellor of the Northern Fences and Chancellor of the Southern Fences, with the Chancellor of the Northern Fences taking responsibility for the defence of Treesia, Alteria, Zemlya and Karnali, while the Chancellor of the Southern Fences will take responsibility for the defence of Aerlig, Aundentia Nova, Babkha, Palastina and the Skerries. Defence of the Northern Fences falls to Tribune Extreme Double-O Seven of Karnali, while defence of the Southern Fences becomes the responsibility of Protector and Shahanshah Ardashir Khan Osmani of Babkha.

With this reorganisation Babkha and Karnali will continue to be at the forefront of creating an aggressive, assertive and Shireroth beating armed force, building on the glorious victories in the Jaris War and the defence of Elwynn.

Treesia Celebrates Its Fifth Anniversary

HALBERD LIGHTHOUSE, SOVEREIGN ORDER OF TREESIA - Treesia celebrated its fifth anniversary today and the event was celebrated in style with key supporters being honoured with some unique awards.

Although it was originally founded back in the mists of micronational history by the infamous Thomas Hubert, it was refounded as the Barony of Treesia and Fabon on October 20th 2000 by Eoin Dornan, following a successful coup backed by the long-defunct Republic of Blackrock. Following a very successful period of expansion as the United Baronies, the focus in recent months has been as the Sovereign Order of Treesia, concentrating on preserving its heritage and co-founding the Grand Commonwealth.

The celebratory awards comprised the following honours:

The Medallion of the Orchids was awarded to Sir Thomas Cutterham in "recognition of his creative work for the Treesian Unorthodox Church", the Collar of Carradu was awarded to Sir Cesare Agosto for his "tenacious talents in the footballing arena", the Standard of the March Breeze was awarded to Sir Ardashir Osmani, for his efforts in "daring to invade Treesia every year for four years", the Golden Belt of Cynos was awarded to Squire Lachlan Powers for co-creating the Grand Commonwealth, while the Shield of the Silver Hind was awarded to Sir Eoin Dornan for "making it all possible in the first place".

Elwynn Pays Tribute to Babkha's Anniversary

Today the Shah of Babkha was honoured as a new Count in Elwynn as tribute to Babkha's fifth anniversary celebrations. Elwynn is a Barony of Shireroth, and the Shah was created the Count of Lesser Zjandaria by the Baron of Elwynn, RicLyon, and was bestowed a new County of the same name, incorporating three detached communes within Elwynn.

In his decree, the Baron of Elwynn said: "In honouring the foundation of the Babkhan nation and recognizing that so many people of this great Land of ours feel affection for their Babkhan nationhood and ethnicity, the Baronial Authority of this State feels that it is with all right that a county shall be created for them in the areas in which they form a distinct majority."

Shah Ardashir Osmani, in an exclusive interview with the Apollo Inquisitor, said: "We have been pleasantly surprised and honoured by this unexpected and most generous award from the Baron of Elwynn. As Count we promise to rule wisely and firmly with traditional Babkhan humour and fair play, and also to demonstrate the respect and hospitality towards our neighbours for which we are so rightly famous."

Babkha Celebrates Fifth Anniversary With Multitudinous Honours

The Kingdom of Babkha celebrated its fifth anniversary today by awarding Honours to many prominent micronationalists, past and present. The Honours were announced in an Imperial Farman issued by His Majesty the Shah, Ardashir Osmani, to celebrate Foundation Day.

His Majesty said: "May all who have received these awards be rightly celebrated for their achievements and their contributions to the continued prosperity of the Kingdom and the Micronational community in general, as is their right. Let us also remember that Babkha has had a long and varied history and that this fifth anniversary of the declaration of sovereignty by the revered and immortal Babak Shahanshah back in October of 2000 is far from being the end of the Babkhan story. Gentlemen I pray I shall see you all for the sixth anniversary of our glorious kingdom, a leading light of the Grand Commonwealth of nations, the vibrant cultural legacy of our sector."

The Honours awarded consist of five different ranks, relating to specific fields of achievement and loyalty. The foremost Honour is that of the Nishan i-Rastakhiz, awarded to foreign Heads-of-State, who best reflect the spirit and positive values of the Babkhan Rastakhiz on the international stage, and who are considered warm allies of the Kingdom.

The Nishan i-Rastakhiz was awarded to King Charles Augustus II of the Kingdom of Gotzborg, Emperor Harald Thorstein of the Sovereign Empire of Stormark, Kaiser Yarad I of the Imperial Republic of Shireroth, Emperor Edgard Portela of the Empire of the Alexandrians, King Chas Jar'go of Alteria, Ramu Taiçardainre I of Lemuria, Tribune Extreme of the Republic of Karnali, Protector Lachlan Powers of the Republic of Aerlig, and Chancellor Sir Iain de Vembria of the Sovereign Order of Treesia.

The next Honour is that of the Nishan-i-Taj, awarded for services to the Kingdom. The recipients were Shahan-Ri and Satrap Tahmaseb Abakhtari, Sultan Mohammed al-Baqir, the Amir Shervanis, Mirza Satrap Darius Rugahi, Satrap Yaghoub Ahmad Vembriani, Satrap Edward Benazir Shahzamini, Satrap Rashid Arsalani, Satrap William Bagram, Satrap Rakesh Ackbar, Satrap Yuri Zhivago, and the Honourable Hesam Jahandar.

The Honour of Nishan-i-Khurshid is a miltary order for service in the face of the enemy, and was given to the Amir Shervanis, Admiral Dugobert Wurmster, and Tribune & Commonwealth Defence Chancellor Extreme007.

Nobility is rewarded with the Nishan-i-Shir, for notable gallantry in the face of the enemy. King Charles Augustus II of the Kingdom of Gotzborg and Tribune & Commonwealth Defence Chancellor Extreme007 were the recipients.

Finally, the order of the Nishan-i-Liaqat, for those who deserve to be rewarded for their contributions to Babkhan and Micronational culture, arts and literature, was conferred upon Kaiser Yarad I of the Imperial Republic of Shireroth, Mirza Satrap Darius Rugahi, Satrap Yaghoub Ahmad Vembriani, Protector Lachlan Powers of the Republic of Aerlig, Satrap Rakesh Ackbar, the Honourable Hesam Jahandar, and the Honourable Arch-Infidel Scott Alexander.

Commonwealth Territory under dispute

MCS HQ, MNN - The management of the Micronational Cartographic Society are continuing to receive flack from the recent decision to grant the former lands of Audentior to the Grand Commonwealth when it joined the map this week.

Many individuals have expressed their disapproval of the decision by MCS staff to include the extra land on the map, with the largest argument now finally winding down in Shireroth. Led by Bill Dusch, a number of Shirerothians have claimed that the Grand Commonwealth has no right to claim the historically important lands, and that the GC should move its territory elsewhere or face the power of Shireroth. Others have called for the removal of Cartographer Ardashir Khan, claiming he is too biased to be in the position.

The Commonwealth has been yet to formally reply to the allegations made by individuals, and no Government has yet formally approached the Commonwealth about the issue. Only time will tell the outcome of this contentious issue.

Nations Unite!

SKERRY ISLES, TREESIA In what could go down as one of the most historic announcements of all time, the Chairman of the Sovereign Order of Treesia, Sir Iain de Vembria, and His Excllency the Emir of Raspur, Ardashir Osmani, today announced the formation of the Grand Commonwealth.

The announcement of the union between five nations has stunned the micronational community, with the new nation being released with a full website and forums, the result of many months of planning.

The Republic of Aerlig, Kingdom of Alteria, Kingdom of Babkha, Empire of Lemuria and Sovereign Order of Treesia have all passed the appropriate Acts and referenda through their legislatures in private over the past month, unbeknownst to the rest of the micronational community.

Lachlan Powers, Protector of Aerlig, said "The five nations have realized that there is more to gain in pooling common resources than to remain as separate entities. Together, we can, with our combined might grow into a great micronational force."

The new capital city of the country is currently a buzz with activity with Acting Shahan-Ri His Excellency the Emir of Raspur conducting the elections for the first Taoiseach of the Commonwealth. This is combed with the general sense of jubilation following the official announcement of the new nation.

Quick Facts-
New Union's Name: The Grand Commonwealth
Member Nations: Aerlig, Alteria, Babkha, Lemuria and Treesia
National Capital: šâhanšâhi-Tara, Commonwealth Capital Territory
Head of State: Shahan-Ri Tahmaseb Shah Abakhtari (Babkha)
Head of Government: The Taoiseach, to be elected today.
Parliament: Majlis-i-Shahan-Ri
Website: http://www.grand-commonwealth.com
Forums: http://www.grand-commonwealth.com/forum

Quote of the Day (June 27th 2004)

"Ardashir is a real rolemodel for those wishing to be Arch Enemies. You should be more like him."
- David Northworthy Beckford -