Kalistani Major History

[Doc]

Empress Pavlina Crowned in Kaliburg
Kundrati to assume the title of Co-Sovereign first since reign of William I
Eveari, Grand Duchy of Ananto
April 2, 5556


Kalistan has a New Empress, Her Imperial Majesty Pavlina I Ananto

In response to the court ruling which guaranteed protestors free reign to insult royals who are not the Emperor, His Imperial Majesty Emperor Fredrick I Ananto took a dramatic step in Eveari in entitling his spouse as Empress Pavlina I Ananto. In doing so, the Emperor has made his spouse co-Sovereign of the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan. Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Pavlina I Ananto was crowned Empress of Ananto and Kalistan in a traditional ceremony at the Eveari Monthly Meeting House, where ceremonies for Kalistani Monarchs are traditionally held.

"His Imperial majesty took this extraordinary step due to the incomprehensible refusal of our Courts to protect Her Imperial Majesty from insults and other things lobbed by detractors and xenophobes," said the Chancellor of the Empire, Dame Lindsay Ontiveros-Maxwell. "His fiat being law, he felt that in order to continue to comply with the law and protect the now Empress from vile misdeeds of a bunch of malcontents, making Her Imperial Majesty co-sovereign will place her under the Lese Majeste law, and it will now be a felony to insult her, abuse her, or assault her. Had the courts offered her this simple degree of security, the Emperor would not have had to take such extraordinary steps."

The Empress herself welcomed the move and said, at the Brethrenist Meeting Hall: "We humbly and graciously accept your entitlement and agree to rule over you as your Empress, together with His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor." Indeed, it is far more than the Empress bargained for when marrying the Emperor, and reports suggest that the Emperor pushed very strongly for this move, over both Ontiveros' initial objections and the Empress'.

"Reports are that the Emperor was livid that the courts found the protestors not guilty of violating the Lese Majeste law," said Crown Watcher Alesha Calendar, "and when he called the Chancellor in to have her discuss options with him, naming Empress Pavlina I Ananto to the position was not even on the table. Then when it was suggested that this be an option, the Emperor decided then and there that this was the course he sought to take to ensure that there is never a repeat of the stunning disrespect shown by protestors at the airport last November. Now, it will be clear that any disrespect shown to the Empress falls under this law, and there will not be another not guilty verdict in the future."

In a move sure to upset the protest community, the Emperor has also named Empress Pavlina I Ananto Duchess of Odufaray, to replace the slain Duchess Martha Allistair after a year and a half. "The center of the Protest activity has been in Odufaray," said Calendar. "Naming the Empress as Duchess of Odufaray is sure to reignite protest sentiment, but now protestors are over a barrel because protesting their own Duchess, who happens to be covered under Lese Majeste, could lead to much more serious consequences than just a regular Duchess."

The Empress keeps her title to Luxon and gains a number of official titles that are tied to the crown, but has not been named as Queen of Andalay, Vintalli, or any of the Crown Lands. "The Empress will use Courtesy titles still," said Calendar. "That is her right to do so. But the Crown Lands titles, especially are particular, and courtesy titles are not eligible for these. The same goes for the Duchy of Icehaven in Hutori, where House Ananto has a holding, awarded by the Royal Family of Hutori. The Empress may refer to herself as Duchess of Icehaven as a courtesy title, but does not possess the actual title, in her own Stile. The other symbolic titles, such as Embodiment of the Anantonese People, the Empress possesses in her own right."

The Emperor is also expected to begin the process of adoption of Empress Pavlina's daughter, Her Highness the Minor Princess Carolina. This is seen as a step to naming her as Crown Princess in the event that the two do not produce a child of their own. There is still plenty of time, but "better safe than sorry," said Calendar. "The Emperor likely wants to name her as Crown Princess just in case something happens where naming an Ananto is impossible." Some others expect the current Acting Crown Prince, Mark Ananto-Orleans would get the title in the event that both Kalistani Monarchs expired, and Mark Ananto has three Children with his wife, all of whom would serve to maintain continuity with the line, but it is also known that Mark Ananto does not want to crown, and has officially attempted, with no success, to take himself out of the Line of Succession. Naming Princess Carolina Hulanevek will allow Mark to continue to focus on his businesses, but should she actually succeed to the throne, Kalistanis who are already upset that the Emperor did not name a Kalistani as his wife, and now Empress, will explode because a foreign born person would eventually be in line for the Crown.

"Kalistan practices naturalizing adoption," said Calendar, "meaning that children, or adults as the case is occasionally, when they are adopted it is as if they are their adopted Parent's birth child unless otherwise explicitly stated. If the Emperor adopts Empress Pavlina's daughter, who is herself an orphan, he can make the argument til he he is hoarse, but there are some people who will simply not accept a Kundrati as the heir to the Ananto Monarchy." The Empress reportedly dismissed concerns. "He hasn't really considered the question yet," said Calendar. "But sure enough, there are many people on the mainland that will protest anything but making a Kalistani the next Emperor."

Time will tell. As for now, Her Imperial Highness, the Empress is crowned and Kalistan has two co-sovereigns who will jointly dictate to the Empire.