United Kingdom of Meckelnburgh

This article is about the sovereign state. For the constituent country with the same name, see Meckelnburgh.

United Kingdom of Meckelnburgh
Flag Coat of Arms
Map versions	17.6.1– (as unified)
Administrative seat and largest city	Alexandretta
Official language	Istvanistani
Official church language	Aspiranto
Official regional languages	Meckelnish Alexandrian Jääkieli
Recognized regional languages	Eastmoorlandish Froyalanish
State religion	Church of Meckelnburgh
Demonyms	Meckelnburgher
Adjectives	Meckelnburghish
Countries	Meckelnburgh  Branniboria  Salem  Iselande
Government	Devolved unitary parliamentary semi-constitutional monarchy
• Monarch	Ĉielero III
• Dauphin	Prince Vilhelmo
• Vicereine in Branniboria	Mia Annemarie, 2nd Countess Treynor
• Vicereine in Salem	Dame Nienke Adema
• Viceroy in Iselande	Lord Wilburn Arkwright, 5th Baron Truckee
• Viceroy in Hergilsey	Sir Óðinn Gunnarsson, Bt.
Formation (Norton)
Meckelnburgh admitted to the Micras Cartography Society	13.V.1685 AN
Annexation of Salem	20.XIV.1685 AN
Ratification of the Articles of Perpetual Union	23.XIII.1709 AN
Area
• Total	497,323 km2 (192,016 sqmi)
• Water	1.753%
Population
• 1728 AN estimate	8,609,430
• Density	14.16/km2 (36.67/sqmi)
GDP (PPP)	1723 AN estimate
• Total	₢413 billion
• Per capita	₢58,630
Currencies	Meckelnburgh rixdollar (Ʀ) (MBD), Branniboria rixdollar, Salem rixdollar, Iselande rixdollar
Time zones	CMT-3 (BST), CMT-1 (MBT), CMT+0 (IST)
Abbreviation	KMB
Internet TLDs	.mb, .bb, .is

The United Kingdom of Meckelnburgh, (/mɛk.əln.bɜɹg/ MEK-əln-burg), commonly known simply as Meckelnburgh, is a sovereign nation in northern Apollonia, on the Arctic Circle. It includes the Genevelond Peninsula, Treynor Archipelago and Glanurchy Island, and the separate Fifty Elk Island, island of Esthar and Jääland Peninsula, all along the Northern Sea. The kingdom as a whole has a total area of 176,000 km² and, as of 1728 AN, a population of 8.6 million, over 80% of whom reside in Meckelnburgh proper. Its capital and largest city is Alexandretta.

The United Kingdom is not a federation, but a sovereign unitary state of four constituent countries. It unites four autonomous legal systems of Meckelnburgh, Branniboria, the Prince-Archabbacy of Salem, and the Grand Duchy of Iselande, joined under the monarch. By the Articles of Perpetual Union, the kingdom's external affairs are managed by Meckelnburgh, which also administers most of the kingdom's affairs as a whole. Culturally, the kingdom is still divisible by the arts, language, culture and sporting affiliations between the constituents.

Etymology

The name "Meckelnburgh" derives from the Old Holzer term for the Alexandretta Fortress, where it meant "broad fortress." The original fortress stands still on the Alexandretta coast, since renamed for the capital city. "Meckelnburghish" is the demonym for people and things associated with the United Kingdom of Meckelnburgh (e.g. Meckelnburghish throne). This contrasts with the similar term "Meckelnish," which refers to the ethic peoples of Meckelnburgh proper and their culture (e.g. Meckelnish language).

History

Historical map of the Greater Meckelnburgh narrative

See specific articles: History of Meckelnburgh proper, History of Branniboria, History of Salem, History of Iselande

The kingdom was established in 1685 AN as a merger of many petty lords by Vilhelmo IV. It was proclaimed by the Treaty of Nakko on 13 Apprile/V after periods of disorder and the region’s abandonment of the final imperial powers. Prior to Meckelnburgh, the region was home to numerous other peoples and nations. Salem was shortly annexed later that year on 20 Decembre/XIV, 1685 AN.

The kingdom's next advances began the cultural keystone for the "wider Meckelnburghish Realm." After the collapse of Jääland on 5 Midsumer/VIII, 1709 AN following The Troubles, Meckelnburgh incorporated Iselande. This lead to the Articles of Perpetual Union on 23 Novembre/XIII. The popular conception of Meckelnburgh becoming a united kingdom developed for two decades.

Greater Meckelnburgh (1727 AN–present)

In Meckelnish society, "Greater Meckelnburgh" referred to the cultural belief in the destiny of the kingdom to reclaim the lost lands of the Meckelnish on the east and west shores of Tallandor Bay. Specifically, the irredentist narrative demanded that Meckelnburgh retake the island of Esthar, which had been united with the Genevelond Peninsula under Beaugium and the Britannic Empire.

The government of the kingdom maintained this demand since 1689 AN, but with no affirmative actions taken. In Decembre/XIV, 1727 AN, the Empire of Insulia, previously occupying the island since the time of Voxland in the 1680s AN, collapsed. The lands of Esthar were left in disorder. Meckelnburgh swiftly acted, and Esthar was finally incorporated under the Meckelnburghish crown as Branniboria on 15 Octobre/XII, 1728 AN.

Geography

Apollonian Express through Regina, by Lucienne Arthur

By Meckelnburgh, the kingdom has two short borders with Lac Glacei and Ashinthael. To the west is the Tallandor Bay, across are Insulia, Senya, Shireroth and Çakaristan. In its southwest are the waters of the Crowsilver Sea, which Hurmu borders. By Salem, the kingdom lies off Lac Glacei once more. By Iselande, the kingdom borders the Nurthaven and Antruusbuurg Canal, another territory of Lac Glacei. To the west is the Clear Sea, across again lies Lac Glacei, and the Northern Sea to the northeast, across which are further islands of Lac Glacei.

Meckelnburgh has an extensive coastline, facing the Tallandor Bay in the south and Northern Sea in the north. In Iselande, the Clear Sea faces its south and the frozen oceans of the North Pole, its north. As the Arctic Circle bisects across Meckelnburgh, the maritime shores help regulate the kingdom’s climate throughout, bringing warmer temperatures than expected. High precipitation is also a result across the kingdom.

Language

The majority of the kingdom's population is white Meckelnish, descendant from its three traditional language groups on the Genevelond Peninsula: Istvanistani, Alexandrian and Meckelnish. A sizable minority of Britannics, Froyalaners and Valtians reside in the far north on Glanurchy Island, whose languages receive local recognition. The Aspiranto language is official in Meckelnburgh as well, as the liturgical language of the church. After the incorporation of Iselande, Jääkieli became another recognized regional language, though its speakers are a significant minority following The Troubles.

Government

The Articles of Perpetual Union of 1710 AN lay out the arrangement of the kingdom. As a unitary state with a semi-constitutional monarchy, the kingdom divides power between its legislature and the monarch. Queen Ĉielero III, of the House of Meckelnburgh-Serkwais, is the kingdom’s current monarch. In that position, the monarch is also Grand Duchess of Iselande, and sovereign of Salem as Lord Protector of the Church of Meckelnburgh. The Queen is thus sovereign over all the United Kingdom of Meckelnburgh.

Each constituent of the kingdom possesses its own legislatures, civil ministries, and cultural integrity, which are devolved. There is no legislature representing citizens from each constituent country, thus the Parliament of Meckelnburgh proper enacts laws for the benefit of the entire kingdom. Similarly, the cabinet of Meckelnburgh is the cabinet of the kingdom. Meckelnburgh's legislative authority preempts the authority of Branniboria, Salem and Iselande. Nonetheless, the Parliament of Meckelnburgh retains sole authority in areas such as:

1. Maintaining independence and defense.
2. Conducting foreign relations.
3. Legislating Meckelnburghish nationality.
4. Commanding the nobility, orders of chivalry, and symbols of the kingdom.
5. Regulating navigation, aviation, and shipping.
6. Administering subsidized social services, e.g. healthcare and education.

Political climate

The kingdom emphasizes durable rights in speech, equality and political representation, while facing continued social stratification between common and aristocratic classes. Nonetheless, the kingdom is considered a "full democracy" by the Micras Democracy Index. A continuous social democratic coalition has held power in Parliament through the kingdom's history, resulting in numerous social and labor reforms.

State church

The Church of Meckelnburgh, the state church, is also represented in the systems of government, by its canon courts and ecclesiastical administration. The canon courts hold nationwide, but limited subject, jurisdiction, Salem in particular is governed under the Church and its canon law, as an ecclesiastical entity. The chief executive of Salem is the Prince-Archabbot, a senior monastic chosen amongst the monasteries of Fifty Elk Island. The Prince is nonetheless serves at the measure of Their Royal Majesty, the Lord Protector.

Constituent countries

The kingdom is a combined state of Meckelnburgh, Salem, and Iselande, the latter two having devolved autonomy as independent countries. The constituents use two levels of administrative subdivisions: provinces and municipalities. As a unitary state, the provinces have no political purpose, but are administrative bodies. One exception is the Palatinate of Hergilsey, an autonomous community under Meckelnburgh proper. Municipalities enjoy limited self-rule through popular elections. Due to its miniscule size, Salem is often treated as a special municipal body of Meckelnburgh proper (e.g. a shared calling code).

Country		Abbrev.	Since	Capital	Maj. langs.	Pop.	% of kingd.	Area	% of kingd.	Density	Chief of state
Meckelnburgh		MCK	1685 AN	Alexandretta	Istvanistani Meckelnish Alexandrian	6,945,554	80.67%	429,900 km2	74.88%	16.16/km2	Masterman Gibbs (Chancellor)
	Hergilsey, Palatinate	HGY		Fríða	Eastmoorlandish Froyalanish	349,734		23,580 km2		14.83/km2	Wulfwynn Oddný (First Minister)
Branniboria		BNB	1728 AN	Alexandrople	Istvanistani Meckelnish	1,208,184	14.03%	76,790 km2	13.38%	15.73/km2	Daniëlle School (Prime Minister)
Salem, Prince-Archabbacy		SLM	1685 AN	Salem	Aspiranto	9,439	0.11%	3,939 km2	0.69%	2.396/km2	Marie-Claude II (Princess-Archabbess)
Iselande, Grand Duchy		ISE	1709 AN	North Antrusburgh	Istvanistani Jääkieli	446,253	5.18%	63,480 km2	11.06%	7.030/km2	Keijo Clark (Prime Minister)
United Kingdom of Meckelnburgh		MCK	—	Alexandretta	—	8,609,430	100%	574,100 km2	100%	15.00/km2	Ĉielero III (Queen)

Foreign affairs

See specific article: Foreign affairs of Meckelnburgh

The kingdom maintains neutral or friendly foreign relations with most nations of Micras, and has never engaged in war with another state. Meckelnburgh's only major military action came during The Troubles in 1707–1709 AN, when Meckelnburgh annexed the Jääland Peninsula after the former nation's destruction. Following the Florian invasion of Port Balaine in 1706 AN, the kingdom maintained sanctions against Floria until the collapse of the 38-year ruling coalition in the Meckelnburgh parliamentary elections of 1723.

The kingdom was an early and final member of the World Association of Non-aligned Countries and ascended to the Xäiville Convention in 1724 AN. It is also engaged in bilateral projects, such as the Lac Glacei-Meckelnburgh Canal Security Mission.

Economy

The locks at Nurth Lake, by Lucienne Arthur

The kingdom emphasizes the welfare state within an advanced mixed market, with high levels of free trade. Its government has large ownership positions in many sectors, including industrial and entertainment—gambling is the largest income source for the crown. By constituent: in Meckelnburgh, manufacturing—automotive, electronic, and consumer goods—is the largest; root-vegetable agriculture and sheep husbandry in Salem, and fin-fish fishing and processing in Iselande. Nuclear power is the primary source of the power supply.

Calendar

The United Kingdom of Meckelnburgh uses the Norton calendar, accentuated by its own month-naming system. Two official month systems are used, one in Istvanistani and the second in Aspiranto. All other languages derive their translations from the Istvanistani versions. Documents written for international consumption often use a [Name]/[Norton numeral] format for clarity to other nations, such as "Mae/VI, 1709."

Numeral	Istvanistani	Aspiranto
I	Januarie	Kupremo (copper)
II	Februarie	Plumbemo (lead)
III	Mercedone	Oremo (gold)
IV	Marche	Arĝentemo (silver)
V	Apprile	Feremo (iron)
VI	Mae	Karbonemo (carbon)
VII	June	Stanemo (tin)
VIII	Midsumer	Sulfuremo (sulfur)
IX	Quintile	Hidrargemo (mercury)
X	Sextile	Zinkemo (zinc)
XI	Septembre	Salemo (salt)
XII	Octobre	Akvemo (water)
XIII	Novembre	Aeremo (air)
XIV	Decembre	Fajremo (fire)
XV	Intercalarie	Eteremo (ether)

See also

• Foreign relations of Meckelnburgh