Isle St Jean
| Isle St Jean | |||
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| Motto: ' | |||
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| Location of Isle St Jean | |||
| Regional Capital | Pierrefeu | ||
| Official language(s) | Gascons | ||
| Government | |||
| - Type | gau | ||
| - Leader | |||
| Area | 13,248 km2 (5,115 mi2) | ||
| Population | |||
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The Isle St Jean (Gascon: Île de Saint-Jean) is a gau of the Frankish Empire. It measures 13,248 km2 (5,115 mi2), situated on the island of the same name. The island is the largest island off the coast of continental Francia. The capital is Pierrefeu.
Geography
The Isle St Jean is generally a reasonably low lying island with its highest point, Mont St Jean just outside of Pierrefeu, rising to around 239 m (784 ft) above sea level. However the most noticeable changes in elevation occur at the coast where sea cliffs measure up to 43 m (140 ft) above sea level giving the island a spectacular appearance from the ocean and distant mainland. Much of the once forested landscape has now been turned over to farming and so the rolling hills of Isle St Jean often support crops such as wheat and barley, however in some areas the once vast Forest of St Michael survives still to provide islanders and visitors alike with a stunning wooded landscape.
Residents on the island must endure harsh winters and scorching summers in addition to constant high wind speeds all of which make life of Isle St Jean tricky, however these conditions have proved to be ideal for many species of native plants and animals. The river Fraternité is Isle St Jeans main natural waterway with its delta located slightly north-west of Aspremont while its source can be found near Silignac.
History
The formal creation of the Isle St Jean as part of the then Duchy of Gascony and overseas territory of the Kingdom of Bosworth was on 24.XII.1551 AN with the description by Duke Jeremy of Gascony. During the Gascony War the island escaped war but became part of Storish Gascony. In 1562 AN the island became part of Batavian Gascony. When Batavia fell, the island with the rest of Gascony came under Storish flag.
With the Treaty of the Northern Hereditary Lands the island and the rest of Gascony came under Frankish flag. In 1682 AN the "Restrukturierung von Gasconje" was proclaimed in Frankfurt-am-Oder, where the island became a separate gau.
