Memory Monday (Revolution and War)

The only constant in the universe is change. It is inevitable that things adapt, change and grow and so do nations and countries along with the political systems they employ. History is filled with stories of great Kingdoms and vicious wars that shaped the world we know. For our history lesson today we want to flesh out more of this story that forms the backdrop of our current Royal Families. 

The Franconian Revolution 1734 

The first Kingdom to abolish their monarchy was Franconia in 1734. They had an internal revolution that ousted the King due to economic strain and inequality in the government system. The new Republic of Franconia that emerged over a few decades from the ruins of the "Old Regime" consists today of 3 semi autonomous states that fall within the greater country. The 3 states are the Free Province of Champagne, the Bishopric of Andor and finally, Greater Franconia. Within the borders of Greater Franconia we also find the 1996 addition to the republic of the formerly independent Principality of Monagask. 

Historians are divided on the causes and the justifications for this revolution. Historic fact is blurred by contradicting accounts and even blatant deception that was rife within the chaotic first few weeks. Wholesale slaughter characterised this initial anarchistic period of execution but ironically was exactly what gave the revolution the momentum to permanently change the course of the country. The popular historic view claims, in generalised terms that the monarchy of Franconia had grown greedy and excessive but also technically useless. The populous was starving, the military was losing wars and the ruling class was having parties paid for by exorbitant taxes. This summary has some basis in fact but the bigger truth is that lots of it was just propaganda and insidious gossip designed to incite the masses and to justify to the rest of the world, what was about to happen. Conversely, the less popular Royalist perspective questions these romanticised "facts". The King was kept impotent in a gilded cage by bureaucracy and misinformation, the army was forwarding political expansion on the behest of government policy, not the King's private whims and the state op the nation was more often than not kept entirely from the King's knowledge by deliberately diverting his attentions to protocol laden commitments at court. This seemingly designed tension then finally exploded into the infamous "Period of Execution" where after a few weeks even the initial leaders of the revolution found themselves being slaughtered.

A contemporary painting of the last Queen of Franconia. Dressed sumptuously in full court apparel with small coronet on top of the very fashionable hairstyle of the day.

The replica of the infamous Guillotine in the Bastion Prison Museum in Pariseum. An army of these instruments of execution by decapitation took the lives of thousands during the revolution. They were specifically designed for efficiency, not just in the act of execution but also in the processing of as many of the convicted as possible. The guillotine became the symbol of the bloodbath that was know as the "Period of Execution" and meant to also inspire respect and even terror toward the emergent "New Regime".

In hindsight it can be speculated that an insidious middle class of politicians and bureaucrats were seemingly working behind the scenes and are thus more to blame for the Franconian Revolution. They set the two dogs of commoner and aristocrat against each other and waited to side with the winner. Regardless of historic fact and assumption, the monarchy fell, never to be restored and after almost a century of recovery, Franconia became the Europan bastion of  the republic ideal. This initial revolution now set a precedence for future abolishments of monarchies, not through dynastic shifts or war but purely trough forcing the will of the people.

Some descendants of the Franconian aristocracy survive to this day but in a spirit of modern equality, do not flaunt the fact. Many, like the baronial family D'Rothchild and the ducal family of Champagne are upstanding citizens with vast wealth and powerful businesses that work to forward the country's economy and assist in charitable endeavours. There has however always been the faint murmur, bewailing the bygone glory of Franconia and the splendour of the "Courts of the King". Currently Prince Louis D'Pont Du Lac III waits in the wings as pretender to a throne that might never be restored but has garnered a fair amount of popular publicity in recent years.

In this photo taken at the Roswind\D'Pont Du Lac engagement party in 2012, we see the Franconian Royal Family in pretence. From left, the d'jour King, Prince Louis D'Pont Du Lac III, then the younger brother who got engaged, Prince Valmont D'Pont Du Lac and their sister, Princess Antoinette D'Pont Du Lac.

The Germanic Empire and The Great War 1936-1949

The Germanic Empire was the pre-eminent nation of its day, rivalled only by its neighbour and nemesis, the Ruskian Empire of the East. The former Confederate Kingdom of Syldavia had declared itself an Empire in 1825 upon the 500th anniversary of its ruling dynasty and its inclusion of the then, Duchy of Fulco-D'Este into its sovereign realm. This was at that stage, preceded by an aggressive yet subtle 10year expansion through conquest and treaty that established the full extent of the Germanic Empire. At its founding, the Empire included its own semi autonomous regions of ; Reichenthal, Thurn und Taxis, Bo'hemia and Greater Syldavia and newly added the Kingdom of Hanoveria by Treaty in the north, the subjugation of  the Grand Duchy of Serbieski in the south and the virtual annexation of Fulco DÉste in the east. The Empire which was a fanciful attempt at uniting all Germanic speaking peoples under one throne was politically structured as a de facto Elected Empire but this was in reality only on paper. In theory the Empire was run by a council consisting of the monarchs of each of the aforementioned "Germanic"regions. In turn the council was chaired by an Emperor or Kaizer, elected from the ranks of monarchs to serve as Head of State and Ruler of the Empire for life. Succession was governed by election at the death of the former Emperor. The problem  started when it became clear that the election process did not allow for unbiased fairness but in principle always tipped in the favour of the most powerful member state which inevitably was always Syldavia.

The full extent of the Germanic Empire at its height before the Great War can be seen in shades of green on the map above.

This political anomaly was overlooked by the very proud citizens of the very prestigious Germanic Empire and economy and prosperity was bolstered by a sense of duty and patriotism. Only the Grand Duchy of Serbieski  had the occasional protest rally but these were decisively quelled. It was the outside world and in particular the Emperor in Ruskiana who found fault and indeed saw opportunity for expansion of his own territory if the Germanic Empire could be destabilised. Two Empires and perhaps more accurately, two egos were about to plunge the world into a desperate war, the likes of which had never been seen.

Tensions grew, Serbieski sought clandestine help from the Empire of Ruskiana in order to assert Independence and it was duely given. This interference in internal politics soured diplomatic relation between the two empires even more. An then the spark that set the powder keg off took place in Fulco DÉste. The son and heir of the Arch Duke was shot dead by what was reported to be a Serbieskian separatist while taking part in an official Royal parade. The heartbroken and shocked Royal Family and people of Fulco D'Este wanted revenge and the situation soon broke out in what we call the Great War. Two clear sides quickely manifested in The Germanic Empire allied with the Kingdom of Romagna. These Axis Powers collaborated in subjecting Serbieski and in invading the neutral Switzer Confederacy. This was followed by direct attack on Ruskiana and Wallachia. The Opposition Powers allied with Ruskiana were the Kingdoms of Scotney, Britania, Wallachia, and Hispania and the Republic of Franconia. Arcwhite, Monagask and Normandia remained neutral along with the invaded Switzer Confederacy.

Reichspantzers or Imperial Tanks scoured Europa for enemies

Due to the Germanic Empire being a Confederacy, it required a central marshal government during the war. The office of Imperial Chancellor or Reichskanselier was thus created. The post was in effect that of a Prime Minister that submitted to the emperor on paper but in effect held all the power needed to make quick executive decisions without the encumbrance of Royal protocol or bureaucratic red tape. The post was given by direct decree to the preeminent army general in the nation. General Count Otto von Bismarck was raised to the rank of field marshal and given the de facto executive power over the empire. Now the Empire was to wage its self justified war of invasion, starting with the complete subjugation of the Serbieski insurrection and the invasion of the Switzer Confederacy. The Germanic Imperial army was the most advanced and efficient force known to date but the Britannian fleet was the "Ruler of the Waves". In the air it was any body's game as flight was a new technology but Ruskiana had the power of sheer numbers. More people died in the ensuing decades than ever before in the history of man. 

The first chinks in the Germanic armour appeared when Hanoveria dissolved its allegiance with the Empire and sided with the Opposition Powers. Hanoveria, regardless of being a Germanic nation could not reconcile itself with the invasion of a sovereign state without provocation. The Grand Duke also questioned the power of the Reichskanselier which had at this stage rendered the Kaizer all but obsolete. Hanoveria's break with the Empire was met with the worst air strike attack to date. The Hanoverian Blitz as it was know killed almost one tenth of the entire populous. Next came the official invasion of Ruskiana, and Farnconia. Wallachia stood its ground as best it could but the main resistance came from Franconia who kept the enemy at bay indefinitely. The final victory came when the United State of Americania joined the Royal Opposition forces in Europa and so turned the tide. 

Count Otto von Bismarck, Riechskanselier of the Germanic Empire is seen here in dress uniform for an evening function. he committed suicide in his bunker when it became clear that the war was lost.

After the decisive victory the Empire was disbanded. Syldavia was established as a separate independent Kingdom with the Crown of Emperor being stripped from the Kaizer and the new Crown of King being given to his grandson and heir. The ex-Kaizer was then exiled. Fulco DÉste became a Republic and so did Romagna. The stigma of the war led to both nations abolishing its monarchies. Ruskiana's losses in the war and the cost to the economy was blamed on their emperor and an internal civil war and revolution lead to the abolishment of their monarchy shortly after. Serbieski was established as an independent Kingdom in its own right which was all the people of the war torn region ever wanted. Reichenthal became the world's smallest Kingdom and the Principality of Thurn und Taxis and the County Palatinate of Bohemia were mediatized within the Kingdom of Syldavia. The Count Von Bismarck was post-humously stripped of rank and his titles and estates went to his nephew who is the ancestor of the current King of Syldavia.

So ended one of the darkest hours in history and the stage was set for the next chapter.

The 1996 Revolution 1996-1998

The marriage of Queen Crystobel II of Scotney to Crown Prince Christian of Scotney was probably the biggest turning point in the entire history of Europa. It was the height of the 1980's and the entire world was abuzz with prosperity and goodwill. The Great War was long forgotten and economies across the board were showing the results of hard work and years of relative diplomatic peace. Queen Crystobel II of Scotney, was an archetype "darling" of the world media, wealthy and the Head of State of a prosperous nation steeped in history. Her new husband was the handsome heir to the wealthiest monarchy on earth and the neighbouring Kingdom of Britania. The wedding was an unprecedented and as yet unmatched media extravaganza laden with official protocol. It led, upon Prince Christian of Britania's ascension to the throne, to the establishment of a new Empire as the two countries united under one crown. What some saw as the dawn of a New Golden Age other insidious powers saw as an opportunity to exploit for personal advancement.

This photo was taken at the "Wedding of the Century" between the Queen of Scotney and the Crown Prince of  Britania in 1986.

The United Empire of  Scot-Britania was established in 1993 and set the stage for what was supposed to be an economic powerhouse and united nation unrivalled in all the world. History was to prove that the stage was actually set for a hidden powder keg underneath the raised platform of the apparently glorious aspiration.

In 1996, months of xenophobic protests, labour strikes and parliamentary debates on economic concerns and military power sharing,  led to riots breaking out in the Imperial capital. These eventually sparked a 3-sided pseudo civil war between rioting citizen, the military acting on a self declared marshal law and Imperial Guards protecting what they considered the only legal authority namely the Imperial Family. The decisive point-of-no-return, occurred when a peace amidst growing tension was reached in April 1996 over Easter. This was a step towards a permanent resolution but was in fact going to last a mere two weeks. A massive Easter Celebration was held at Roswind Castle where the Royal Families of the world gathered to pay homage to the Emperor and Empress to show international solidarity for the Empire. It was also intended to strengthen the precarious peace. To this day, what led to the following events have been left to pure speculation as no military records exist but the fact remains that two Britannia-class fighters were scrambled and fired two missile strikes each into the Castle of Roswind. The explosions and fire led to the deaths of most of the Royals and the staff attending the celebration. This dropped the entire Empire into a full revolutionary civil war, almost led to a second Europan War and by extension caused the fall of several Royal dynasties. 

The capital City of Londinium burns while Riot Police lose all control during the revolutionary civil war known to history as the 1996 Bloody Revolution. Aside from the direct attack on the Castle, Royal Palaces and other government installation became the targets of angry mobs. It is a complete miracle that the Empress escaped with her son amidst the chaos but perhaps the chaos served as the perfect smoke screen as initially no ordered plan was in place from any real side. It was only in the ensuing months that a proper military marshal law came into effect and was even able to exert a form of order. 

The ruins of Nonsuch Palace in Britania is all that's left of the Imperial Summer Palace. This palace was raided by a mob who after looting, set it on fire. It was just left in this state of increasing decay until it was declared a world heritage site in 2006 along with what is left of Roswind Castle in memory of the lives lost during the revolution.

The Bloody Revolution caused the the downfall of the United Empire of Scot-Britania and the deaths of the monarchs of Normandia, Syldavia, Monagask, Swann and Hispania. The convalescing King of Serbieski died of a heart attack after hearing of his wife's death. This led to some of those nations abolishing their own monarchies. Outside of the Empire, Syldavia was worst hit by an ensuing but short lived civil war on its own soil. After the 96 Revolution only, Hispania, Wallachia, Swann, Arcwhite and Hanoveria retained their traditional monarchies but under a very strained atmosphere. Wallachia all but totally hid their venerated monarchy from the public stage. Hispania's new Queen was a young mother kept out of the public eye in an isolated castle for fear of assasination. Swann's Duke was in a coma and eventually passed away leaving the throne to his overwhelmed teenage son. Royalty as a concept had never fallen so far from grace and power.

The Emperor, Empress and their son were believed dead and  the new democratic age settled like a pall over the world. The new millenium was to tell an entirely new story however.

Empress Crystobel as she is today, at left, at her son and heir's wedding to Odeliah Sorgenfrei in 2010. Both survivors of the revolution have re-entered the public stage. If the United Empire, or indeed the independent nations of Scotney or Britania ever considered a restoration of monarchy, the Crown Prince Imperial, Cristian Victor of the United Empire would be the man sit on any one of the three thrones. As this blog post proves, nothing is certain and anything is possible. History-in-the-making however, is always exciting.