Treaty of Dynastic Separation
| Long name | Treaty of Dynastic Separation between Natopia and Nouvelle Alexandrie |
|---|---|
| Type | Bilateral treaty |
| Context | Marriage of Crown Prince Uturuncu and Princess Adelaide; prevention of personal union between Nouvelle Alexandrie and Natopia |
| Signed | 15.III.1721 AN |
| Location | Palace of Vista de Nada, Lindström, Natopia |
| Effective | 15.III.1721 AN |
| Condition | Ratification by both legislatures |
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The Treaty of Dynastic Separation between Natopia and Nouvelle Alexandrie (Alexandrian: Traité de Séparation Dynastique entre Natopia et Nouvelle Alexandrie; Martino: Tratado de Separación Dinástica entre Natopia y Nueva Alejandría), commonly known as the Treaty of Dynastic Separation or the Uturuncu-Adelaide Treaty, is a bilateral treaty signed on 15.III.1721 AN at the Lindström Summit in Lindström, Natopia. The treaty establishes that the thrones of Natopia and Nouvelle Alexandrie shall remain separate despite the marriage of Crown Prince Uturuncu of Nouvelle Alexandrie (later King Sinchi Roca II) and Princess Adelaide of Natopia (later Crown Princess of Natopia).
The treaty was necessitated by the unique dynastic situation created by the marriage. Princess Adelaide was heir apparent to the Natopian throne as the eldest child of Empress Vadoma I and Emperor Edgard III. Crown Prince Uturuncu was heir apparent to Nouvelle Alexandrie as the eldest child of King Sinchi Roca I and Queen Abigail. Without the treaty, their eldest child would have eventually inherited both thrones, creating a personal union between two of the most powerful nations in the Raspur Pact.
Background
The engagement of Crown Prince Uturuncu, Prince of Rimarima, to Princess Adelaide of Natopia was announced in late 1720 AN, following a period of diplomatic courtship between the House of Inti-Carrillo and the House of Waffel-Paine. The match was welcomed by both nations as a strengthening of the alliance between two founding members of the Raspur Pact, but it immediately raised concerns among constitutional scholars and diplomats about the implications for the succession.
The personal union problem
Both Nouvelle Alexandrie and Natopia follow forms of absolute primogeniture in their succession laws. In Nouvelle Alexandrie, the Succession to the Throne Act, 1700 explicitly provides that "the gender of a person does not give that person, or that person's descendants, precedence over any other person." This meant that the eldest child of Uturuncu and Adelaide, regardless of gender, would be heir apparent to the New Alexandrian throne. Simultaneously, Princess Adelaide remained heir apparent to Natopia, meaning her children would stand in the Natopian line of succession. Without intervention, the couple's eldest child would eventually become both King or Queen of Nouvelle Alexandrie and sovereign of the Bovic Empire of the Natopian Nation, uniting two distinct constitutional systems, two different state religions, and vast territories across Eura and Tapfer under a single crown.
While personal unions had occurred elsewhere on Micras, both governments concluded that such an arrangement would be unworkable given the different governmental structures, religious establishments, and geopolitical interests of the two nations. There were also concerns within the Raspur Pact that a combined Natopian-New Alexandrian superstate would upset the balance of power within the alliance.
Lindström Summit
Negotiations took place in early 1721 AN at the Lindström Summit, a series of meetings held at the Palace of Vista de Nada in Lindström, Natopia. The summit brought together representatives of both royal houses, constitutional experts from the Cortes Federales and the Frenzy, and diplomatic observers from other Raspur Pact nations. The principal negotiators were Crown Prince Uturuncu and Princess Adelaide themselves, reflecting the personal nature of the arrangement. They were assisted by teams of legal advisors, including representatives from the High Court of Justice of Nouvelle Alexandrie and the Natopian judiciary.
Key provisions
Designation of heirs
The treaty's central provision establishes which throne each child of the marriage shall inherit:
- The couple's eldest child is designated to inherit the throne of Nouvelle Alexandrie, holding the titles Princess of Rimarima, Duchess of Nueva Geneva, Countess of Rochefort, and Granddaughter of Inti as specified in the Succession to the Throne Act, 1700.
- The couple's second child is designated to inherit the throne of Natopia, holding the title Prince of Lindström, the traditional designation for the Natopian heir apparent.
- The couple's remaining children shall have no claim to either throne unless both the eldest and second child are unable to ascend to their respective thrones.
This provision was implemented following the births of the couple's five children:
- Princess Sayari (b. 1722 AN), heir apparent to Nouvelle Alexandrie;
- Prince Nathan (b. 1724 AN), designated heir to Natopia after his mother;
- Princess Urpi (b. 1726 AN);
- Prince Xanthorr (b. 1728 AN);
- Princess Phaedra (b. 1730 AN).
Separation of governance
The treaty establishes that the governance and administration of both nations shall remain separate and independent. Key provisions include:
- Neither sovereign may hold executive or legislative office in the other nation;
- The governments of each nation shall operate independently without interference from the other;
- Neither nation shall acquire territory, resources, or sovereign rights from the other through dynastic inheritance;
- Diplomatic relations between the two nations shall continue through normal channels, not through the personal union of the sovereigns.
Dual titles and residences
The treaty permits members of the royal family to hold titles in both nations. Prince Nathan, for example, holds the New Alexandrian title of Viscount of Paruro while also holding the Natopian title of Prince of Lindström. However, these titles are personal honors and do not confer governmental authority across borders.
The treaty also permits the Queen Consort of Nouvelle Alexandrie (Adelaide) to retain her position as Crown Princess of Natopia and to reside in either nation as duties require.
Contingency provisions
The treaty includes provisions for various contingencies:
- If the designated heir to either throne dies or becomes incapacitated before succession, the next child in birth order assumes their designation, with subsequent children moving up accordingly;
- If both Princess Sayari and Prince Nathan are unable to ascend, the remaining children become eligible for both thrones, with the eldest among them choosing which throne to claim;
- If the House of Inti-Carrillo is extinguished through Princess Sayari's line, the New Alexandrian succession follows the provisions of the Succession to the Throne Act, 1700, which designates the House of Carrillo as next in line.
Implementation
The treaty was ratified by the Cortes Federales and the Frenzy in III.1721 AN, shortly before the marriage ceremony. It took effect immediately upon ratification.
Marriage of Uturuncu and Adelaide
The marriage of Crown Prince Uturuncu and Princess Adelaide took place in 1721 AN, following the treaty's ratification. The wedding was celebrated in both nations and marked the formal union of the House of Inti-Carrillo with the House of Waffel-Paine, creating the cadet branch designated "Inti-Carrillo y Waffel-Paine" in genealogical records.
Accession of Sinchi Roca II
The treaty's provisions were first tested in 1735 AN when Crown Prince Uturuncu acceded to the New Alexandrian throne as King Sinchi Roca II following the death of his father. Princess Adelaide became Queen Consort of Nouvelle Alexandrie while remaining Crown Princess of Natopia. Princess Sayari, then thirteen years old, became Princess of Rimarima and heir apparent to Nouvelle Alexandrie, while Prince Nathan, then eleven, retained his position as designated heir to Natopia.
Current status
As of 1751 AN, the treaty remains in full force. Princess Sayari married Prince Janus of Neridia in XII.1750 AN and continues as heir apparent to Nouvelle Alexandrie. Prince Nathan announced his engagement to Princess Darya Ardashirdokht Osman in IV.1751 AN and remains third in line to the Natopian throne, behind Empress Vadoma I and Crown Princess Adelaide.
Reception
The treaty was broadly welcomed in both nations as a sensible solution to a complex dynastic problem. Constitutional scholars praised the treaty for preserving the independence of both nations while permitting the strengthening of dynastic ties between two allied powers.
Some critics noted that the treaty fundamentally altered the principle of primogeniture by pre-designating which child would inherit which throne, rather than allowing succession to follow its natural course. However, supporters argued that the alternative, a personal union of two such different nations, would have been far more disruptive to both constitutional orders.
Within the Raspur Pact, the treaty was seen as evidence of the maturity of the alliance's diplomatic mechanisms. Rather than allowing dynastic accident to create a superstate that might dominate the Pact, the member nations had negotiated a solution that preserved the balance of power.
Legacy
The Treaty of Dynastic Separation established a precedent for managing complex dynastic situations between allied nations. It demonstrated that absolute primogeniture and international marriage could coexist through careful treaty-making, without requiring nations to choose between dynastic alliance and constitutional independence.
The treaty has been cited as a model by constitutional scholars examining similar situations in other Micrasian nations, particularly within the interconnected royal houses of the Raspur Pact.
