The History of the Grand Commonwealth

Just over four years ago the micronational world was slightly shocked when a new and mostly unexpected micronational union appeared on the scene: the Grand Commonwealth.

It started out in 2004 as a plan between Treesia and Aerlig to try and create the first new micronational empire since Tymaria (which had lasted for just over 10 months until September 2002). It was also an opportunity to try and restore some of the former Apollo Foundation territories that had been previously and controversially removed by the MCS.

By the end of 2004 Lemuria, Antica and Arminy had signed up, but the latter two got cold feet and withdrew, throwing the whole project into jeopardy. In January 2005, an inspired approach to Babkha (followed later by Alteria) led to the launch of the Grand Commonwealth on April 28th 2005. It almost immediately became known as the "Great Satan" as a consequence of a major propaganda campaign instigated by Diga of Attera and implemented by Scott of Hyperborea.

A number of other micronations joined the Grand Commonwealth over the next two years, either as members or protectorates, while it also played a significant role in the formation of the MCS-rivalling Geographical Standards Organisation in 2006.

It all ceased abruptly at the end of the summer of 2007, following the withdrawal of Treesia and an effective boycott of the federal government by Babkha. A swift closure of the forums took advantage of the vacation period. Most of its former members have since failed to survive.

The Grand Commonwealth's website is now restored, and a more detailed history has been published there.

State of the Nation: Ashkenatza in May

Shireroth's DiploCorps have finally summoned up the will to resume their reporting, only to find that others have lost their will to do anything much reportable.

Their latest report from Ashkenatza indicates that the Nohsi, Pachad Emet ben Mavet, has resigned due to absenteeism, an unfortunate pandemic that seems to have afflicted many in that nation of late.

Foreign Minister Maksym Izaak Rozenthal is expected to lead the government for the foreseeable future. An unnamed source is reported to have stated that it has proved difficult for recent administrations to provide leadership when there is no-one to be led.

Demolished! The Great Geocities Rescue...

Geocities, Yahoo!'s "$4bn dotcom relic" has stopped accepting new hosting accounts and will be closed later this year. For the micronational community, this means that a number of micronational sites, some quite old and of historical interest, will need to find new homes sometime soon.

Fortunately the erstwhile Apollo Foundation has just launched a campaign to gather information on sites that will need to be relocated, with the intention of archiving many of them itself. It is hoped that, for some sites, other parties will also be interested in offering ongoing hosting arrangements.

An initial list of micronational sites currently hosted on Geocities has been published by Imperium Incognita, while the issue has also been publicised on the widely-visited micronational forums aof Microhub, Micronations.EU and Shireroth.

State of the Nation: Natopia in April

Shireroth's DiploCorps report that Natopia is having trouble retaining all of those recent new citizens.

In other news, the Natopians are downsizing their government, developing the imperial space programme and Bovic religion, and sensibly excluding themselves from recwars.

State of the Nation: Novatainia in March

Shireroth's DiploCorps reports that Novatainia's businesses are doing deals to trade in natural resources, and that the nation itself may be constructing a space fleet.

In other news, Novatainia also has a List of Failed Inventions and a Flying Duchy of Glanurchy, which clearly is an invention that hasn't failed. Yet.

State of the Nation: Ashkenatza in February and March

Shireroth's DiploCorps has reported that the Shireroth may acquiesce to Ashkenatza's ambitious territorial water claims in exchange for maintaining extensive access rights.

In other news, Ashkenatza's Defence Minister has assumed responsibility for runnig the government as its Nohsi has mysteriously disappeared.

Cyberia Lives

In which we learn that sometimes infamous Cyberia returns and even "eternal reprobate" Jacobus is amazed by the appearance of a mysterious hip-flask salesman from within a rock.

Seers and prophecies not withstanding, we can exclusively reveal that Sir Jacobus the Wise KCOMI, General Malcontent, Traditional King of the Mala'anje, and Bane of Micronationry, has taken the plunge and refounded the Federal Republic of Cyberia.

As undeniable evidence that time cures just about everything, public opinion has been overwhelmingly in favour of this world-shattering event.

As is usually traditional, the new/old leader of Cyberia plans to start a constitutional convention and "see what happens". What is not usually traditional are people publically fortifying themselves with aspirins or appearing out of rocks (but then salesmen will tell you anything).

The State of Micronational News

In which we point out that "once in a blue moon" is not just a pithy slogan, and make the news rather environmentally-friendly.

Someone Has Complained.

Someone has objected to that fact that, until today, we haven't published anything for over a month. We'd like to point out that our slogan was deliberately worded to reflect the high probability of that happening. We'd also like to point out that until a few months ago, we hadn't published anything for over a year-and-a-half. so not doing so for about a month is not really a big deal for us.

Naturally, we know of no other micronational news service that has allowed for this. Therefore, as Mr Cairney has so eloquently demonstrated, they have no excuses. So there.

In all fairness, when MNN was first set up some years ago, it did encourage lots of people to do their own blogging as a change from relying on a very small number of people to do all the journalism that had hitherto been the case, thus helping to spread that arduous burden. Even in these quiet times, there is still an average of one story per day, from thirty-odd feeds, which seems a not unreasonable level of reporting. Quality versus quantity, and all that.

Mr Cairney has pleaded that more people should be writing articles and so putting something back into the community. On our part, consider it done.

Even if it is recycled news.

State of the Nation: Natopia in February

Shireroth's DiploCorps report that Natopia's imperial wedding finally went ahead, followed by the ubiquitous honeymoon.

In other news Natopia expanded in two areas, most noticeably by inheriting Holzborg in controversial circumstances.

State of the Nation: Novatainia in February

Shireroth's DiploCorps report that Novatainia has established a Tourism Board and dismissed its Joker.

In other news, Novatainia now also has a Flying Islands Pact, a Red List and a convention for those who like recwars.

State of the Nation: Stomark in Februrary

Shireroth's DiploCorps reports that, in the Viking Empire of Stormark, swearing-in ceremonies have begun, where those of lesser nobility swear their allegiances to the Emperor and his empire.

In other news, voting has started on an Act with an unpronouncable name that does bureacratic things to the legal system.

Micronational Books: Introducing the Nations & Politics Store

If you're desperate for some micronational books or DVDs, or are even after books about politics or nations in general, then you'll be pleased to know that a new mail-order store has opened, called the Nations & Politics Store.

It's hosted at Amazon UK and was created by the erstwhile Micronations.Net, which blogged earlier:

It has books and DVDs about micronations, nations and politics that we’ve chosen in the hope that you might be interested in.

There are both some familiar and not-so-familiar titles, should there should be something for everyone.