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United Kingdom of Meckelnburgh

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Kingdom of Meckelnburgh
Koninkrijk Meckelnburg (me)
Royaume du Meckelmbourg (ax)
Reĝlando de Mekelnburgo (ao)
Meckelnburgh flag.png

Flag

Meckelnburgh coat of arms.png

Coat of Arms

Motto: "Aŭguro de pli bonega tempaĝo" (ao)

"An Omen of a Greater Age"

Anthem: "Ode to Our King and Flag"
Meckelnburgh map 2.png
Map versions 16.8.4–
Capital
and largest city
Alexandretta
Official language Istvanistani
National languages Meckelnish · Aspiranto · Alexandrian
Recognized regional languages Eastmoorlandish · Jääkieli · Froyalanish
Ethnic groups 75.8% Meckelnish
7.8% Seal Fishers
4.4% Jääkieli
3.5% Vepsios
2.7% Britannics
2.0% Froyalaners
0.6% Black Travellers
3.2% Other
State religion Church of Meckelnburgh
Religious affiliation 57.0% Irreligious
37.1% Nazarene
—27.3% Albigensian
—7.1% Catholic
—0.8% Orthodox
—1.9% Other
3.2% Ethnic religions
1.1% Ashkenatzi
1.6% Other
Demonyms Meckelner
Adjectives Meckelnburghish · Meckelnish
Government Unitary parliamentary semi-constitutional monarchy
• Monarch Ĉielero III
• Chancellor Marie-Claude Giraud
• Lord Speaker Wilburn Arkwright
• Chamber of Deputies President Émilien Plamondon
• Chief Justicar Devyn Blackwood
Legislature Parliament
• Upper house College of Lords
• Lower house Chamber of Deputies
Formation (Norton)
People's Republic of Hell ca.1448–1450
Ashinthael (Menelmacar) 1450–ca.1500
Slobovia ca.1500–ca.1539
Time of the Five Kingdoms ca.1539–ca.1551
New Territory (Gralan Empire) ca.1551–ca.1572
Era of Troubles 16th–17th century
Crowsilver (Goldshire, Shireroth) 17th century–1663
Admitted to the Micras Cartography Society 13.V.1685
Current constitution 2.XV.1697
Rise of the Meckelnburghish realm 1707
Area
• Total 276,300 km2 (106,700 sqmi)
• Water 1.41%
Population
• 1708 estimate 6,336,950
• Density 22.9/km2 (59.4/sqmi)
Currency Meckelnburgh crown (₵) (MCK)
Time zone CMT-1½, -2 (MBT and MBET)
Calendar Norton Calendar
Date format dd.MMM.yyyy
Mains electricity 120 V–60 Hz
Driving side right
Calling code +42
Abbreviation MCK
Internet TLD .mb

Meckelnburgh,[note 1] (/mɛk.əln.bɜɹg/ MEK-əln-burg), officially the Kingdom of Meckelnburgh, is a nation in northern Apollonia, on the Arctic Circle. The kingdom includes the Meckelnburgh Peninsula, Savalim Archipelago, and Glanurchy Island, and the separate Isle of Pines and Jääland Penninsula. The kingdom as a whole has a total area of 276,000 square kilometers and, as of 1708 AN, a population of 6.3 million, a sixth of whom reside in Meckelnburgh proper. Its capital and largest city is Alexandretta.

Meckelnburgh is not a federation, but a sovereign unitary state of three constituent countries. It unites three autonomous legal systems of the Kingdom of Meckelnburgh, the Prince-Archabbacy of Salem, and the Grand Duchy of Iselande, joined under the monarch. The kingdom is a unitary sovereign state. Constitutionally, of the kingdom's affairs are managed by Meckelnburgh, holding ultimate power on behalf of all three constituents, but Salem and Iselande have an extended degree of autonomy to govern their relations.

By Meckelnburgh, the kingdom has two short borders with Angsax and Ashinthael. To the west is the Northern Sea, across are Insulia, Senya and Shireroth. In its southwest are the waters of the Biddell Sea, which Hurmu borders. By Salem, the kingdom lies off Angsax. By Iselande, the kingdom borders the Nurthaven and Antruusbuurg Canal, a territory of Lac Glacei. To the west is the Clear Sea. across again lies Angsax and Lac Glacei, and the Arctic Ocean to the north, across are further islands of Lac Glacei.

The kingdom has an extensive coastline, facing the Northern Sea and ocean. 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.

Queen Ĉielero III, of the House of Meckelnburgh-Serkwais, is the kingdom’s current monarch. Marie-Claude Giraud is the Chancellor. As a unitary state with a semi-constitutional monarchy, Meckelnburgh divides state power between Parliament and the monarch, as determined by the 1697 AN constitution. The courts are accountable to Parliament, while the cabinet to the monarch. The Church of Meckelnburgh, the state church, is also represented in the systems of government, by its canon courts and ecclesiastical administration.

Meckelnburgh was established in 1685 AN as a merger of many petty lords by Vilhelmo IV. The kingdom was proclaimed by the Treaty of Nakko after periods of disorder and the region’s abandonment of the final imperial powers. Prior to the kingdom, the region of Meckelnburgh was home to numerous other peoples and nations. The incorporation of Iselande in 1730 AN lead to the wider Meckelnburghish realm.

The kingdom is a joint state of Meckelnburgh, Salem, and Iseland, the latter two having devolved autonomy. 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. Municipalities enjoy limited self-rule through popular elections.

Salem in particular is governed under the Church of Meckelnburgh and its canon law, as an ecclesiastical entity, but which are still accountable to the monarch as Supreme Governor. As vestige of the feudal era, the monarch, in the immediate possession of the crown of the Kingdom of Meckelnburgh, also holds the legally distinct Lordship of Serkwais, off the shores of Alexandretta.

Meckelnburgh emphasizes the welfare state within an advanced mixed market. The kingdom’s government and crown has large ownership positions in numerous sectors, including industrial, services and entertainment—gambling is one of the largest sources of income for the crown.

The kingdom emphasizes durable rights in speech, equality and political representation, while facing continued social stratification between common and aristocratic classes. Nonetheless, Meckelnburgh 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.

The majority of Meckelnburgh’s population is white Meckelnish, descendant from its three traditional language groups: Istvanistani, Alexandrian and Meckelnish. A sizable minority of Britannics and Froyalaners 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, and in the Prince-Archabbacy of Salem. After the incorporation of Iselande, Jääkieli became another recognized regional language.

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. Following the unification of the Meckelnish tribes, the name was adopted as a symbol of the kingdom as a whole.

Both "Meckelnburghish" and "Meckelnish" are demonyms for people and things associated with Meckelnburgh. "Meckelnburghish" refers to the Kingdom of Meckelnburgh and its government (e.g. Meckelnburghish throne) while "Meckelnish" refers to the peoples of Meckelnburgh and their culture (e.g. Meckelnish language).

History

Classical regional history

The early barbarian era

The earliest inhabitants of Meckelnburgh were the Infernals, who arrived circa 1446 AN. The Infernals based their cult out of New Dagora, situated midway between modern Tuft and St. Cloud. For two years the Infernals held open the portals to Micras' nether regions, letting countless demons into the world and shrouding the region in darkness. The Flying Islands of Jasonia and other powers mounted an offensive against the demons that culminated in pushing them back into the bowels of the earth. Following the Infernal War of 1448 AN1450 AN, the region came under the sway of Ashinthael (ancient Ashintully), a kingdom within the Imperium of Menelmacar, who renamed New Dagora to Gehenna and were charged with keeping the portals sealed.

Menelmacar helped push the tide against the tribes of the Teir'Dal Wasteland, that stretched through the Mecklenburgh Peninsula. The area would then remain under Ashinthaler control for several decades until Menelmacar's collapse of circa 1500 AN. By this time the location of the Infernal portals had been lost. The collapse paved the way for the barbarians Slob tribes to migrate into the area from the south. The Ashinthalers were pushed west to their stronghold at the Ash Fort while the Slob tribes established the first Kingdom of Slobovia. The Slobovian state also lasted for several decades before succumbing to internal strife circa 1539 AN.

The age of empires

The vacuum created by the collapse of Slobovia allowed Shireroth to establish the colony of Comstokia while the state of Treynor arose around the region of Hurboldt and Savalim. Meanwhile, the Hob tribes from Lovely moved into far southeastern corner to compete with the Slobs, eventually establishing Hoboland.

Alas, these states held but a tentative hold over the region and were soon replaced by another colonial power: Beaugium. The Beaugians were soon replaced by New Brittania who renamed the peninsula the colony of Koranga. But even their colonial ambitions faltered and the nearby behemoth of Gralus took over the region sometime after 1551 AN. The Gralans proved themselves to be the most impervious in this age.

Rise of the Meckelnish

As Gralus' New Territory, the peninsula continued to be treated as a far-flung colony; so it was with little effect when Gralus fell sometime after 1572 AN. The remaining tribes failed to organize themselves into a cohesive state and remained in a disorganized jumble.

During this time, the Three Tribes of Meckelnburgh first settled around Victoria, New Rochelle, and St. Cloud in the late 16th century. The languages of these tribes were Meckelnish, Alexandrian, and Istvanistani, respectively. In the early 17th century, the Meckelnish peoples began extensive trade routes that met at the modern capital in Alexandretta. The city grew into a formidable economic capital with all peoples in the region, and at this time the Alexandretta Fortress was built.

Defeat of foreign powers

The region was free from foreign influence until settlers from Shireroth established Crowsilver in the mid-17th century as a colony. The colony lied in the modern provinces of Hurbolt, Norman and Savalim, and surrounding areas. Constant struggles for independence erupted, and Crowsilver would only last a few decades until 1663 AN. Following the last intrusion on Meckelnish lands, the Three Tribes and surrounding peoples finally banded together into a united confederation of local counts and dukes. During this time, the Froyalanish and Eastmoorlandish peoples of Hergilsey came under Meckelnish control.

Following two decades of growth, the unified Kingdom of Meckelnburgh was finally declared in the Treaty of Nakko on 13.V.1685 AN. Duke Vilhelmo IV, of the Istvanistani-speaking peoples, was declared its first king. The monasteries of Mondsee were conquered shortly after in a bloodless operation.

A Meckelnburghish state

Overcoming division

The new unified Meckelnburgh ultimately caused conflict between the local counts and dukes that still reigned over their vassal states. Following the sudden death of King Vilhelmo IV in late 1685 AN and the accession to the Meckelnburghish throne by Queen Ĉielero III, disgruntlement grew. Continued devolved powers were granted to the local nobility as central power waned. As only the national government represented the common people, through the Chamber of Deputies, popular unrest also gained momentum.

In 1696 AN, popular protests finally exploded throughout Meckelnburgh in demands to end the increasing feudal order. On 13.IV.1696 AN, a constitutional convention was organized by representatives of each corner of the kingdom, who pressured the College of Lords into accepting a referendum on the issue, to be held the first week of XIV.1697 AN. The new constitution was approved by 64.3% of voters. Adhering to the law, the new constitution came into effect on 2.XV.1697 AN, with a yearlong period of transition.

New popular era

With the reformed constitution of 1697 AN, the semi-feudal structure of Meckelnburgh was thus replaced by a common provincial system. The new system abolished the regional laws and devolved governments, replaced by a strong unitary monarchy and appointed regional authorities. However, the former nobility retained their authority as a titular class, as well as their estates and positions in the College of Lords. The constitution has remained in force since, and enjoyed celebrations of its ten-year anniversary in XV.1707 AN.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Official names in national languages: Meckelnish: Meckelnburg (/mɛk.ɛln.bʏrx/); Alexandrian: Meckelmbourg (/mɛk.ɛlm.buʁ/); Aspiranto: Mekelnburgo (/mek.eln.burg.o/). Official names in regional languages: Eastmoorlandish: Meccelnburh (/mek.keln.burx/); Froyalanish: Meckelnborg (/mɛk.eln.pɔrk/); Jääkieli: Meckelnburg (/mek.eln.byrg/).