Austenasia

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Empires of Austenasia
Flag of Austenasia Coat of arms of Austenasia
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: IMPERATOR ET POPVLVM AVSTENASIÆ
The Emperor and People of Austenasia
Anthem: God Save the Emperor by Jonathan Austen
Status Current
Capital "Wrythe" (in Carshalton)
Official languages English
Ethnic groups European
Demonym Austenasian
Government Constitutional monarchy
 •  Emperor Jonathan I
(Jonathan Austen)
 •  Prime Minister Joseph Kennedy
Establishment
 •  Declared 20 September 2013 
Area
 •  Total 0.2327 km2
0 sq mi
Membership 82
Currency Pound sterling (£)

The Empires of Austenasia was a micronation and self-declared sovereign state based in the United Kingdom. It operated under constitutional monarchy and comprised eighteen properties that declared themselves independent under the leadership of a house in south London.[1]

History

Austenasia was founded on 20 September 2013 by Jonathan Austen (born 1994), a student, and his father Terry Austen (born 1961), a security guard turned gardener. After sending a declaration of independence for their house in Carshalton to their local Member of Parliament, Tom Brake, Terry was named Emperor and Jonathan was named Prime Minister. Two subsequent declarations of independence were sent to Gordon Brown and the British Home Office, as no reply had been received from any of the previous declarations, on 13 October and 31 December 2013 respectively.

Terry abdicated in February 2014, and was succeeded by Emperor Esmond III, who after a "civil war" and various internal disputes was replaced by a new leader, Declan MacDonagh, in December later that year. Jonathan met with Tom Brake MP in May 2014, who contacted Foreign Secretary William Hague to enquire about the criteria by which the UK recognises new states on Jonathan's behalf.[2] Jonathan then became emperor after Declan abdicated in January 2015 for personal reasons, and began a program of expansion which has seen people from across the world join the micronation by claiming properties which they live in or regularly visit. The micronation has been featured in several local and international publications, and has a certain amount of fame within Carshalton as being a local "quirk".

Politics

The Empire of Austenasia was a constitutional monarchy in which the monarch held great power. According to the official website, their consent was necessary for any law to be passed.[3] Each "town" (inhabited areas claimed in Britain) has a Town Council composed of its population, and elected a Representative - these Representatives form the legislature. The prime minister was elected through general elections.[4]

Geography

Austenasia claimed six "towns", five "territories", and seven "crown dependencies". Wrythe, the capital, consists of a suburban house in the London Borough of Sutton. Five other British houses are also claimed, and other territorial claims include a farm in Brazil, part of a university campus in Australia, and holiday homes in the Hebrides and Canary Islands. The micronation also has claims in the USA and Canada.[5][6]

See also

References

  1. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. Your Local Guardian: Carshalton "micronation" pushes for independence from Sutton Retrieved on 22 November 2011
  3. Emperors and Imperial Family - "Empire of Austenasia", retrieved 16 June 2015.
  4. Government of Austenasia - Empire of Austenasia, retrieved July 2, 2012.
  5. Your Local Guardian: Expanding empire celebrates new leader's coronation Retrieved on 19 March 2013
  6. Territory - Empire of Austenasia website, retrieved 19 March 2013.

External links