The Reign of the Will: January to July
While it recognized Dracul and fought against the negative campaigns headed by supposed micronationalists in Brazil, the Empire entered the month of February armed with activity. The Imperial Diet continued with the necessary adjustments to accommodate the new members of the nation, while the Empire was considered extravagant by the specialized media, something considered very adequate by the Karno-Ruthenians.
Glowing decorations from Taslavia, Vishwamitra, Achsen, Queensland, Columbia and Sildavia were received by members of the Imperial Family and other distinguished citizens. The state became less self-referential to dynasties with the elimination of royal birthdays as holidays while discussing the continuation of the Imperial Circle as a tool of outside influence, which would later be abolished.
Lucas Othonsen, the Hofpfalzgraf perfected the execution of the “official portraits” – montages of illustrious figures in typical clothing and uniforms, yielding good laughs and true works of art that have the affection of the nation. But not everything would be reduced to art and laughter: the Ukrainian War would begin and citizens of the Empire would find themselves on opposite sides. As of the date of this writing (01 August 2022), it has not been possible to contact Ukrainian and Russian citizens, wishing them to be safe and well.
The Empire did not remain silent in the face of the war, but was receptive to being a host nation. Citizens of the Empire served and risked for the good of humanity and effectively helped. Interestingly, it was two citizens of Italian origin, Baron Pillonetto di Treviso and Mr. Davide Della Lena, who work in civilian humanitarian aid forces, honored the Empire with a small but vital role in consolidating protection for the weakest in the face of the horrors of war.
In March, the Kaiserliche Reichpost was created, the Imperial Mail and the official issuing body for the first official series of postage stamps, while K.R.O.S.A., the Karno-Ruthenian Observatory and Space Agency implemented the Mission Orion, taking the name of the Empire aboard of Artemis I, the first uncrewed flight test of the Space Lunch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft.
The State of Guwati was ceded by Vishwamitra to the Empire, the Hofbau, seat of the monarchy, was left for a short period for interior renovations and in these news of several happenings, the loss: Prince João of Noronha, the notorious Brazilian micronationalist, died. The Emperor-King was one of the first to be informed and his death affected the entire micronational community. A week later, the Conference of Santiago would complete another year of existence, but the date was eclipsed by mourning. The Emperor made a speech in a solemn session of the Historical and Geographical Institute of Mauritia in honor of the deceased friend and member of the Conference.
In the days that followed, religious events were attended by the emperor, an intervention was carried out in the Duchy of Libertia and the Imperial Diet continued with its work and already in April it was one of the most active legislatures in national history. But diplomacy would claim the greatest attention: the Treaty of Ambé was signed on 18 April 2022 with the State of Xingu, which for the following months would be a protectorate of the Empire. The treaty caused strong reactions on the part of a clique of pseudo-micronationalists who claim as “micronations” almost the entire territory of Brazil – and giving rise to the Manifesto for the Truth, which ended up clarifying the situation along manifests from Quinta Velha, Sildavia and others.
For the following month, the works of the Empire would continue to be the target of recognition converted into prestige, either by granting honors to citizens of the Empire for their contributions to micronationalism, or by cataloging the Empire and its symbols by the important Micro Flag Archive, a reference in the preservation of history of the symbols of micronations.
And history, with eight years of existence, needed to organize its historiography. To this end, the Duke of Saena took over the newly created Office of the Prince-Rector of the Imperial Archives, formally assuming the post that had already been informally assigned to him: that of the greatest historian of the Empire.
In June, the Emperor attended the first micronational event in Asia in years, remotely: the inauguration of the President of the Free Rendonese State, an occasion where he could show respect and friendship to the sworn president, Mr. Rey Jr. Mancio. Along with Vishwamitra, the two micronations are exponents of the typical courtesy of Asian micronationalists, in obvious contrast to some of their peers less accustomed to the dignity expected of a head of state. In this contrast, they emerge strengthened and respected by western micronations.
With the preponderance of foreign affairs by the imperial government, it would not take long for its most immediate allies, the Kingdom of Ebenthal and the Kingdom of Quinta Velha, to envision a formal alliance: the Treaty of Altenburg. The approach, however, would come the following month in a solemn way.
But there were still tensions in the air. Several attempts to invade the Empire’s digital property were present throughout the first half of the year, with Brazilian and European micronationalists taking part in the attacks against the Empire. But not limited to that, other aggressions were verified, such as the racist statements of the Romanian micronationalist behind the “Snagovian Federation”, which had severed relations with the Empire and was expelled from the Uhlan Regiment and other honors previously conferred.
With respect for diversity and admiration for its professional conduct, the Empire would once again be a reference in foreign policy among the world’s micronations, and would receive one of its first imports of typical micronational art in June: a typical Azulejo Quintavelhense, decorated in Art Nouveau style with the imperial eagle in the center.
On 29 June, a second micronational event in Asia took place among the members of the Conference of Santiago organized in Vishwamitra and representing a great triumph of the Rashtradhyaksh of Vishwamitra, uniting micronationalists from three continents in favor of the good micronational practice.
July would begin with the Empire adopting a new currency, the Vereinsmark – the Union Mark, backed by copper and relying on the expertise developed in Delvera and Occidia to manage the national economy.
But imperial expertise would still be the presence in foreign affairs: Karnia-Ruthenia was represented by the Emperor at an event held at the Academy of Literature of São Paulo to welcome the president of Hungary, Mrs. Katalin Novak, in the presence of several Hugarian and Brazilian politicians. In the same week, the Emperor would attend the funeral of Dom Luiz of Orléans and Braganza, Emperor de jure of Brazil. In the solemnities in which he was accompanied by Prince von und zu Hochbach and were the sole representants of micronationalism, were presents several members of the Brazilian Imperial House and also Archduke Lorenzo of Austria-Este, Princess Maria Isabella of Savoia-Genoa and Princess Maria Cristina of Savoia-Aosta, the princes Casimiro, Alessandro, Luis and Elena of the Two Sicilies, Prince Gundakar of Liechtenstein, Prince Michel de Ligne and Duke Peter of Oldenburg, among other royalty.
On 23 July, the Empire would restore the Kingdom of Ameroslavia with Archduke Ari on the throne. The bold initiative that transformed a foreign property of the imperial family into a new micronation would only be legitimized the following week, with the recognition of the founder of Ameroslavia, Lenart of Ameroslavia. The imperial dynasty now has rulers over Ameroslavia, Karnia-Ruthenia, and Taslavia. Archduke Ari, former King of Ruthenia, once again occupy a throne.
What the future will bring to the Empire is uncertain, but known to be grandiose: Karnia-Ruthenia has never limited itself to the ordinary and has always dared to innovate with respect to traditions, being anachronistically modern, and presently nostalgic, at the same time.