Anthelia

Republic of Anthelia

Official language	English
Capital	Helion
Largest cities	Sprodj, Nantucket, Regulus, Draconia, Alosta
Website	Anthelian Website
Forum	Anthelian Forum
Number of citizens	7
Number of active citizens	0 (Nation Inactive, annexed to Gotzborg)
Date founded	27 July 2004
Government	Presidential Republic
Current leader	President John Darcy
Currency	unknown
National animal	unknown
National fruit/food	unknown
National drink	unknown
Map versions	6.7.3 - 8.0.2c

The Republic of Anthelia, known in short as Anthelia, was a democratic micronation founded in July 2004. Anthelia was an Anglophone Sector micronation, and member of the Micronational Cartography Society and the Novasolum Treaty.

History

Foundation

Anthelia was founded on 27 July 2004 by John Darcy, an Australian micronationalist with past involvement in the hobby but no other known micronational citizenships. The Republic - it has always been called a "republic" - was established with democratic and pluralistic objectives but with low membership and activity there were two consequences: Firstly, Darcy held de facto autonomous power as "Administrator" and secondly, inactivity saw the fledgling micronation virtually shut down from September 2004 to April 2005.

Revival

The Republic was awoken on 11 April 2005 by a message of inspiration and intent posted by prominent citizen Koen Nevens. Nevens' energy pushed Anthelia to the attention of other Anglophone micronationsthrough the Micronations.net forums, and this in turn attracted several possible citizens as well as interested foreign observers. Anthelia's profile was also significantly raised at this time through a dispute over its Micronational Cartography Society map presence. This dispute was resolved amicably in duecourse.

Nevens' Constitutional Reform

The revival sparked by the Nevens Communique of 11 April was indeed - energetic and rapid. By the end of April a draft Constitution was readyfor referendum and the groundwork had been laid for immediate Executive Council elections. Duly, the Constitution was enacted and came into force on 4 May 2005, and John Darcy and Koen Nevens were elected unopposed as the inaugural Executive Council, taking office on 13 May.

The Constitution of the Republic provided for an elected Executive Council to run the nation in everyday matters. The Executive Council could appoint Ministers to assist in this, and Ministers could propose new or amended laws for the control and benefit of national affairs. Through direct democracy, all citizens of the Republic had the right to debate proposed laws and all citizens participated in the vote to approve a law. The Constitution also provided detailed protection of individual and general rights, and a number of superior provisions regarding citizenship and other matters to which all normal laws had to conform.

Justice was administered through courts presided over by judges who were appointed as the need arises. The President of the Republic was a largely symbolic position, as the President was one of the Executive Councillors and had very few and limited exclusive powers and duties of his own. John Darcy was to remain Anthelian President until the nation's death.

Move to the GSO and Death

Anthelia was one of many Novasolan nations to move to the Geographical Standards Mapping Organisation. By the end of 2006, Anthelia was suffering was significant lack of activity, with its active population standing at two persons (Koen Nevens and Darius Banting). As a result of its close relationship with the Royal Kingdom of Gotzborg, effective February 2007, the Republic became an integral part of the Royal Kingdom, where it remains to the present day.

Intermicronational Relations

Anthelia began as a micronation in isolation, although the wider micronational community was known to the founder. The months after the revival saw seen Anthelia interact more widely with other English-language micronations (the "Anglophone Sector"). The Micronational Cartography Society more than any other person or body provided the main impetus for this interaction. By virtue of its place on the MCS map, Anthelia chose primarily to seek discourse and interaction with its neighbours on the continent of Novasolum, Gotzborg, Natopia, Alexandria, Rio Grande and Lavalon. This is not to say that other micronations were ignored, but the main focus of diplomacy has been on these few and in particular Gotzborg and Natopia.

It was this regional focus which led to the Novasolum Treaty. A conference was held in May and June of 2005 for micronations which shared the same continent as Anthelia on the MCS map. The aim of this conference at its outset was to seek a mutual treaty for "the creation of an area of freedom, security and justice" there was no intent to create a formal association of micronations and no multilateral policies (such as economic policy) were to be imposed.

During the course of this conference, a related (but separate) project was begun by President Darcy to enhance the geographic details of the micronations involved, and it was from this project that the continent's name "Novasolum" was agreed. In course, the treaty (which was ratified by four of the parties by 8 July 2005) was named the Novasolum Treaty. In August 2005, the Republic was a party to the Treaty of BBC, which is a treaty with the micronation founded on BBC TV in the United Kingdom by King Danny Wallace of Lovely.

By the time of Anthelia's move to the GSO, it had developed a reputation of isolationism and in the words of some, 'haughtiness'. This view was probably not well deserved but Anthelia's disposition as a serious political simulation rather than community endeavour led to increased tensions with Natopia, even after the Novasolum Treaty. Anthelia's stagnation during its days on the GSO can partially therefore be attributed to its increased distance on the map of Giess from its former Novasolan friends and allies, with whom it had a firm political and economic bond.