Duchy of Leyl

Duchy of Leylstadt Hertogdom Leylstadt
Flag Coat of Arms
Motto: Voor Hertog, Natie en Eenheid! (For Hertog, Nation and Unity.)
Anthem: None
Map versions	/
Capital	Leylstadt
Official language(s)	Southbatavian, Praeta, Alexandrian Fransch
Official religion(s)	Secular state
Demonym	Leylstadter
- Adjective	Leylstadtese
Government	Unitary Semi-constitutional monarchy
- Duke of Leylstadt	Nicholas I
- Legislature	State Duma of the Duchy of Leylstadt
Establishment	1675 AN
Area
Population	368,879
Currency	Royal Valer
Calendar
Time zone(s)
Mains electricity
Driving side
Track gauge
National website
National forum
National animal
National food
National drink	Whisky
National tree
Abbreviation	LEL

The Duchy of Leylstadt is a semi-constitutional monarchy, established as a separate state within the Green of Apollonia, in 1675 AN by Duke Nicholas des Vinandy-Windsor. The nation is composed of several ethnic groups, mainly Badaweians (the offspring of Batavian settlers in Kildare, and later Jingdao) and Transbatavians, Krasnocorians, Morovians, Gralans and tribal peoples. The nation, located between the mountain ranges, neighbours both Florian Republic and Jingdao. The nation was established as a personal project of the adventurous Nicholas, who sought a nation to call his home. Despite being squashed between larger nations and having no access to the sea, the beautiful landscape inspired Nicholas to settle. He proclaimed the Duchy as a place where anyone unwilloing to live under any other country's regime could seek refuge. Pressured by the increasing expansion of the Jingdaoese, Krasnocorians and Florians, some mountain tribes joint the venture of Nicholas the First to establish a new country, bolstering the population numbers towards 370,000 residents.

Name

The Duchy owns its name to the river Leyl, which runs through the mountain pass which surround the country. As the Leyl is both the lifeline of the country - as it delivers fresh drinking water to the town and its surroundings, and allows for transportation towards the sea - the first settlers decided upon the name Leylstadt. This means City at the Leyl.

To remember the importance of the river, the locals celebrate Leyl Festival annually halfway the year. It's seen as a national holiday and the Duke tours his country to listen to his citizen's grieves (and reveive their thanks).

History

The first steps

The portrait of Nicholas (in 1670) on a horse already betrayed certain aspirations of a man who wished to rule his own country.

Nicholas des Vinandy-Windsor was born as younger brother of Joseph des Vinandy-Windsor in 1625 AN. Born as a kinsman of Batavian noble heritage within - by then Shirerithian - occupied territory, he enjoyed a comfortable youth. He was well-versed in both Batavian and Shirerithian classics, and he soon made connections among the other noble houses of the country. His entrepreneur's spirit convinced him to move to Shirekeep in 1643 AN to join the Iron Company's branch office in the hope of amassing a fortune.

Frustrated with the lack of progress (the war hadn't helped), and eventually charged with corruption, Nicholas left the capital and fled to Jingdaoese 's Koningenwaarde in 1657. Having irritated both the Shirerithian authorities and the Iron Company, he found a lot of support among the amused Jingdaoese elite. His old connections helped him in setting up a shipping company. The allowance he received from his older brother (to stay away as far as possible from Davignon) helped him further to increase his investments.

The Bataafsche Scheepvaartmaatschappij flourished, especially as the war had opened the possibilities for traders within Jingdao. Both the Meiyo Emperor and Chidao Emperor passed legislation which opened up the market. Nicholas amassed the fortune he had dreamt of.

In 1661 AN, mainland Batavia was re-united. His company was now forced to chose: remain active in Batavia, or Jingdao. After much deliberation, Nicholas chose to remain in Batavia. This would, however, change rather rapidly, as goodwill around the initial unification stranded and he himself started dreaming aloud of himself on the Throne. When his brother, Joseph, proclaimed support for David Ayreon-Kalirion on the Throne, Nicholas understood that his chances of ever ruling the country had been ruined. His family, the House of des Vinandy-Windsor, had made itself extremely unpopular among the vinandist royalists. When Arkadius IV - with support of the Windsors - received the Crown in 1669 AN, his chances were further diminished.

He started contacting several groups who had grown increasingly frustrated with the state of affairs: both the struggle for the crown (and afterwards, limited frustration about the king himself), as corruption and lack of a decent administration made excellent partners to work with. Especially among those who had once lived in the Transbataafsche Vrystaat, he found allies to aid his cause.

In 1674, he gathered those families who he had seen fit, and - paid with the profits of his company - set of towards Apollonia. There he would, among the Green, find a new homeland.

Government and administration

Grand Pensionary

The Grand Pensionary is the prime minister of the country. He holds considerable power and influence within the administration. However, as he has to seek both approval of the Duke (who can appoint and fire him at will) and the State Duma (which has the power to block any law coming from the cabinet) to govern, he has to find a delicate balance between the two.

State Duma

The State Duma consists of twenty elected representatives from the population across the country. 14 seats are distributed to Leylstadt, while the village of Grison hold four seats and Thurgou receives two representatives. While every citizen is allowed to vote, those who hold considerable economical power (read: pay more taxes) receive two - and in some cases three - votes. As the government actively supports the better educated merchant class to govern the lands, entrepreneurs and the richer middle class have been the dominating political elite within the State Duma.

The Duma is elected every five Norton years and is presided by the Grand Pensionary, who is not a member of the parliament.

Territory

Municipalities

Leylstadt is a small duchy, composed of several municipalities. The city of Leylstadt forms the political, cultural and economical centre of the small country, as most of the adventurers and refugees who arrived with Nicholas the First settled down in fertile valley at the river Leyl.

Every village, except Leylstadt itself, has a village elder. This is, in most cases, someone who has been appointed by the villagers themselves. He represents his town in official ceremonies and, during Leyl Festival, announces their villages praises and grievances to the Duke.

Coat of arms	Municipality	Population	Village elder
	Leylstadt (Town)	308 000	Directly administered by the Crown
File:Flag Grison.png	Grison	60 007	Christiaan Weelders
File:Flag Thurgou.png	Thurgou	20 872	Vukoslav Tomić
TOTAL		368 879