Ainhessel

Principality of Ainhessel Voordstedom Ainheijssel (Ainhessen)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Vreiheit Freedom
Capital	Ainhessel
Largest	Ainhessel
Official languages	Ainhessen
Demonym(s)	Ainhessen
Government	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy with directional government
• Princess	Larna of Ainhessel
• Government	Council of The State (Ainhessel)
Legislature	Parliament of Ainhessel
Establishment
• Foundation of The County of Ainhessel	968
• Expansion	1234
• War of Agression	1328
Area
•	2,488 km2 (961 sq mi)
Population
• 2019 estimate	490,788
• 2017 census	485,500
GDP (PPP)	200 estimate
• Total	$5.3 billion (68 billion UTP)
• Per capita	75,899 UTP
GDP (nominal)	2019 estimate
• Total	71 billion UTP
• Per capita	78,000 UTP
HDI (2019)	0.9 very high
Currency	Ainhessen Marche (AHM)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+488
Internet TLD	.ah

Ainhessel, officially the Principality of Ainhessel (Ainhessen: Voordstedom Ainheijssel) is a Utopian sovereign microstate located in North Utopia. It is completley surrounded by New Daarlerveen. In total, Ainhessel covers 2,488 km². It is inhabited by 490,000 people making it one of the smallest and most densely populated nations in the world. Its capital and largest city is Ainhessel.

History

The first traces of settlement in what is now Ainhessel are dated back to the Paleolithic Age, about 35.000 years ago. From the 2nd century BC, tribes settled in the region between the rivers Aise and Merne, thus settling in the region which constitutes today's Principality.

The territory was infiltrated by the North Utopian Wernes starting from the 4th century. The territory of what would become Ainhessel now became part of the Kingdom of the Wernes. The wernes who settled in the area are often described as the ones having brought the language spoken today to present-day Ainhessel, since the old Wernish language spoken by them is considered by linguists to be a direct forerunner of the dialect, which later evolved, among others, into the modern-day Ainhessen language.

The Christianization of Ainhessel also falls into this epoch and is usually dated back to the end of the 7th century. The most famous figure in this context is Sint Glaam, who together with other monks established the Abbey of Ludesweik. in 678 AD. It is in his honour that the notable Dancing procession of Ludesweik takes place annually on Vheit Tuesday. For a few centuries, the abbey would become one of northern Utopia's most influential abbeys.

The County of Ainhessel

The recorded history of Ainhessel begins with the acquisition of Ainhess (Modern Day Ainhessel) Around this fort, a town gradually developed, which became the center of a state of great strategic value within the Duchy of The Wernes. Over the years the fortress had been extended by Seil's descendants and by 1083, one of them, Danek I, was the first to call himself a "Count of Ainhessel", and with it effectively creating the independent County of Ainhessel.

By the middle of 13th century, the counts of Ainhessel had managed to considerably gain in wealth and power, and had expanded their territory from the river Aise to the Merne. They gained through expansion they had incorporated the counties of Trondau, Gabunst, Komvassel, Omhausse and the county of Ludesweik. This was under the rule of Vlaud II who became known as Vlaud the Conquerer or Uniter. These aquisitions made the county extremely rich.

Vlaud II, Count of Ainhessel

With the ascension of Vlaud III as Count, the new dynasty of the House of Ainhessel not only began to rule the county, but rapidly began to exercise growing influence over other parts of North Utopia as well.

This would go on for 130 years, the House of Ainhessel was contending with other North Utopian houses for supremacy within North Utopia. It all came to end in 1490, when the House of Ainhessel suffered a succession crisis, precipitated by the lack of a male heir to assume the throne. Since Larna and Elizabeth of Vlaud were both heirless, all possessions of the Ainhessel Dynasty were redistributed among the North Utopian aristocracy. The County of Ainhessel become a possession of Daniel the Good, Prince of Osglowe. This would transform Ainhessel into a principality.

Wars of Agression

In 1582 Bendedict I of the outer Wernes invaded Ainhessel twice, but the newly formed princely house of Ainhessel under Henri IV managed to reconquer the Principality each time.

The Benedictine Wars were eventually put to rest

In the twenty Years' War in 1673, Daarlen and Wernic forces invaded Ainhessel again, conquering and occupying the principality until being forced to return it to the house of Ainhessel in 1699. But, yet again, peace lasted not long, as The Daarlens invaded Ainhessel a third time when the War of the Daarlen Succession broke out in 1712. Only at its conclusion in 1714 began a period of peace as Ainhessel came back under the rule of its royal house.

National Enlightenment

The Age of Enlightenment (also known as the Age of Reason) began in Ainhessel in 1716 as an intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of Utopian ideas in North Utopia during the 17th and 18th centuries. The Enlightenment included a range of ideas centered on the pursuit of happiness, sovereignty of reason, and the evidence of the senses as the primary sources of knowledge and advanced ideals such as liberty, progress, toleration, fraternity, constitutional government, and separation of church and state.

The Enlightenment emerged out of a Ainhessen intellectual and scholarly movement known as Renaissance humanism and was also preceded by the Scientific Revolution. Ainhessen historians traditionally date its beginning with the death of Prince Dubarre III in 1715. Not only did the age of enlightenment create new advances in thinking and science it slso helped kivk start other ages such as this one across North and South Utopia. The age of enlightenment led to the great Ainhessen National Enlightenment which saw Ainhessen identity and nationalism see a steep rise and the Ainhessen language revived.

Modern Day

The Principality became a founding member of the Universal Pact in 1948. During the coming Wars of the 20th century, Ainhessel continued its involvements on the side of the North Utopian Union.

In 1967, Ainhessel became one of the twelve founding countries of the Utopian Union, which in 1983 would become the Union that it is today. The Constitution of Ainhessel was re-written in 1986.

Geography

The country is for the most part flat, with the exception of foothills in the south in the kommunes of Osglowe and Omhausse, up to a height of 670 metres, and some low hill ranges in the central parts. Since the late 16th century, large polder areas are preserved through elaborate drainage systems that include many canals. The main two rivers are the Aise and the Merne. The country's highest point is Vaumpoller at 670 metres.

Vaumpoller

Climate

Ainhessel has a mild continental climate, with moderately warm summers and cool winters, and typically high humidity. Ice days—maximum temperature below 0 °C (32 °F)—usually occur from December until February, with the occasional rare ice day prior to or after that period. Freezing days—minimum temperature below 0 °C (32 °F)—occur much more often, usually ranging from mid-November to late March, but not rarely measured as early as mid-October and as late as mid-May. If one chooses the height of measurement to be 10 cm (4 in) above ground instead of 150 cm (59 in), one may even find such temperatures in the middle of the summer. On average, snow can occur from November to April but sometimes occurs in May or October too.

Warm days—maximum temperature above 20 °C (68 °F)—are usually found in April to October, but in some parts of the country these warm days can also occur in March, or even sometimes in November or February. Summer days—maximum temperature above 25 °C (77 °F)—are usually measured in De Bilt from May until September, tropical days—maximum temperature above 30 °C (86 °F)—are rare and usually occur only in June to August.

Nature

Ainhessel has 12 national parks and other nature reserves, that include lakes, heathland, woods and other habitats. Most of these are owned by the national department for forestry and The Voslandstaacht, a private organisation that buys, protects and manages nature reserves.

Government and Politics

Government

Ainhessel is a constitutional monarchy with the Prince of Ainhessel as its head of state.

The Constitution adopted in 1714 and rewritten in 1983 is the legal foundation of the modern federal state. It outlines basic and political rights of individuals and citizen participation in public affairs, divides the powers between the Monarchy and the Kommunes and defines jurisdiction and authority. There are three main governing bodies of the Ainhessen government: the unicameral parliament (legislative), the Council of the State (executive) and The High court of Ainhessel (judicial).

The Parliament houses in Ainhessel City

The Ainhessen Parliament consists of one house of 60 representative who are elected under a system determined by the Council of The State elected under a system of proportional representation, depending on the population of each kommune. Members of the house serve for 4 years and only serve as members of parliament part-time. Through referendums, citizens may challenge any law passed by parliament and through initiatives, introduce amendments to the federal constitution, thus making Ainhessel a direct democracy.

Council of The State constitutes the government, directs the administration and serves as collective Head of Government. It is a collegial body of seven members, elected for a four-year mandate by the people of Ainhessel. The Parliament of Ainhessel also exercises oversight over the council.

The Ainhessen government has been a coalition of the three major political parties since 1957, each party having a number of seats that roughly reflects its share of electorate and representation in the parliament.

Administrative Divisions

Ainhessel is split into seven Kommunes.

Name in English	Name in Ainhessen	Administrative seat	Population (2020)
Gabunst	Gaabaunst	Gabunst (City)	22,000
Ainhessel (Kommune)	Ainheijssel	Ainhessel (City)	320,000
Trondau	Troundau	Trondau (City)	43,000
Komvassel	Kommveijssel	Komvassel (City)	31,000
Ludesweik	Ludessweig	Ludesweik (City)	39,000
Omhausse	Ohmhausse	Omhausse (City)	22,422
Osglowe	Ossglov	Osglowe (City)	14,366

Economy

Ainhessel's stable and high-income market economy features moderate growth, low inflation, and a high level of innovation. Unemployment is traditionally low, with a per capita GDP on a purchasing-power parity (PPP) basis of 75,119 UTP. Its GDP per capita in purchasing power standards was 261% of the UU average (100%) in 2019.

The industrial sector, which was dominated by steel until the 1950s, has since diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. During the past decades, growth in the financial sector has more than compensated for the decline in steel production. Services, especially banking and finance, account for the majority of the economic output. Ainhessel is the world's third largest investment fund center, the most important private banking center in North Utopia and The Utopia's leading center for reinsurance companies.

Currency

The Marche is the official currency of Ainhessen. The currency is sometimes referred to as the Ainhessen Mark in English. Historically, Marche coins have been minted Ainhessel since the 16th century.

500 Ainhessen Marche Note.

Ainhessel has not introduced the Utopia, following a rejection by referendum in 2009, but the Ainhessen Marche is pegged closely to the Utopia. Ainhessel borders one utopiazone member New Daarlerveen.

Demographics

Religion

Religion in Ainhessel has been historically dominated by Christianity between the 10th and 20th centuries. In the late 19th century, roughly 75% of the population was a member of the Church of Ainhessel a protestant church with the rest of the population being Catholic. Since then, there has been a slight decline in both Catholic and Protestant Christianity. There has been a large rise in the secular population as well as that in Ainhessel a small Muslim minority also exists.

Religion in Ainhessel (2020)

  Church of Ainhessel (58%)

  Roman Catholic (28%)

  irreligious (10%)

  Islam (1%)

  judaism (2%)

  other christian (1%)

Military and Law Enforcement

The Ainhessen army is mostly based in its casern, the Kenter Caserne in Trondau. The army is under civilian control, with Prince/Princess as Commander-in-Chief. The Minister for Defense, Walter Mahan, oversees army operations. Being a landlocked country, Ainhessel has no navy and only a few aircraft.

Culture

Ainhessel retains a number of folk traditions, having been for much of its history a rural country. There are several notable museums, located mostly in Ainhessel (City). These include the National Museum of History, the Ainhessel City Museum, and the Royal Museum of Ainhessel. The National Museum of Military History in Trondau is especially known for its representations of the War of Agression.

Foreign Relations

Ainhessel has long been a prominent supporter of Utopian political and economic integration. Ainhessel has long championed unity in the Utopias and was one of the founding members of the Utopian Union and is a member of the Universal Pact. It also participates in the Free movement area.