Bear Island

Duchy of Bear Island
Flag
Motto: Ovod mi stamo Here we stand
Anthem: Ponir' si'no in nejpravo Fall, oh force and injustice
Satellite image of Bear Island.
Capital	Mormonta Trdina
Largest city	Svanigrad
Official languages	Bear-Islandic
Demonym(s)	Bear-Islander Škojanin
Government	Voivodeship
• Duke Lord Paramount of Bear Island	Marinej Mormont
Independent (Sovereign)
• Independence from Norway	June 18, 1960 A.D.
• Recognition by the UN	March 26, 2007 A.D.
Area
•	50,876.28 km2 (19,643.44 sq mi)
Population
• 2013 A.D. estimate	524,381
• Density	10.31/km2 (26.7/sq mi)
Currency	Forint (BIF)
Time zone	UTC +0
Date format	dd.mm.yyyy
Driving side	right

Duchy of Bear Island, (commonly known internationally as Bear Island; locally known as Vojvodina Medviđeg Škoja, Medviđi Škoj or just Škoj), is a Nordic island nation situated in the North Atlantic Ocean. The capital city is Mormonta Trdina (anglicized: Mormont Keep), however the largest and the most popolous city is Svanigrad. Duchy of Bear Island exercises supreme authority over the Plutonic Dominion (Svalbard archipelago and scattered islands). Plutonic Dominion has been granted many liberties, inclunding its very own parliament, however the head of state, finances and foreign affairs jointly concern Bear Island and Plutonic Dominion. Bear Island is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate, despite being in the Arctic Circle. Its high latitude and marine influence keep summers chilly, and most of its islands have a polar climate.

It was originally thought that Bear Island was discovered by the Dutch explorers Willem Barentsz and Jacob van Heemskerck on 10 June 1596, who gave its name after a polar bear that was seen swimming nearby. However, recent archaeological research in the west of the country has found evidence of Viking settlements on the island, indicating that the island was inhabited even before Barentsz and his companions discovered it. The island remained uninhabited until the second half of the 19th century when it was re-discovered by an Austro-Hungarian expedition with 895 immigrants, mostly from coastal Croatia and Slovenia. The island was under Austro-Hungarian rule until World War I, when it was annexed by the Kingdom of Norway, which was ratified by the Svalbard Treaty in 1920. During the World War II it served as a refugee camp for refugees from the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, many of which stayed after the war. It proclaimed indepedence on June 18 1960: this act was not recognised by the Kingdom of Norway, which almost brought two sides to an armed conflict. It was averted by signing a peace deal on January 4 1961, guaranteeing closer relations between those 2 countries, but not the official recognition. However, tensions finally broke in 2006 when the full-scale invasion of Bear Island and its protectorates was commenced by Norway. Bear Island Army successfully repelled the attackers, forcing them to sign the final peace treaty and mutually recognizing each other in Paris on May 31 2007. Soon followed admissions to UN the same year and EFTA three years later.

Bear-Islandic culture is founded upon the nation's Slavic heritage. Most Bear-Islanders are descendants of Croatian, Slovenian and Russian settlers. Bear-Islandic, a Western Slavic language, is descended from dialects of regions from where the first and most of the subsequent immigrants originated from: Istria and Dalmatia. It was also influenced by Norwegian, due to the long occupation of the Duchy. The country's cultural heritage includes traditional cuisine, literature, religion, festivities and ancestral customs of their original homeland.

Etymology

The name for the main island of the Duchy was given by members of the Dutch expedition (presumably by Barentsz himself) who discovered it. Namely, while breaking through the sea full of ice, they saw a polar bear swimming in the icy sea. After shooting and wounding it with a musket when it tried to climb aboard the ship, the seamen decided to capture it with the hope of bringing it back to Holland. Once leashed and brought aboard the ship however, the bear rampaged and had to be killed. Impressed by its endurance, they named not only the island, but the entire archipelago consisting of the main island and smaller islets and cliffs. The largest island was called Grande Terre, but that name was forgotten as the centuries went by. When the Austro-Hungarian expedition arrived on the island, instead of calling the whole archipelago the Bear Islands, they used the name only for the largest island, while the smaller islands got their own names, and the archipelago itself did not get its own name back.

History

Early history

It is believed that the Vikings knew about Bear Island, and that they even inhabited it at one time near Prošni Dor. However, there is no concrete evidence, even though some traces of Viking influence had been found on both Bear Island and Svalbard. The first, undisputed and documented discovery occured in 1596, when Willem Barentsz landed on the island during his third expedition in 1596. Soon after the discovery of the Bear Island, the northwestern tip of Spitsbergen was sighted on 17 June. The sighting of the archipelago was included in the accounts and maps made by the expedition and Spitsbergen was quickly included by cartographers. Steven Bennet conducted further exploration in 1603 and 1604 and noted the then rich population of walrus. Henry Hudson also explored the islands in 1607. Starting in the early 17th century, the island was used mainly as a base for the hunting of walrus and other species of seals. Also, the eggs of seabirds were harvested from the large bird colonies until 1971. The Muscovy Company claimed Bear Island for the English Crown in 1609, but it abandoned the site when walrus-hunting declined.

The first permanent inhabitants called Pilgrims came in 1874 from Austria-Hungary; from the area of today's Croatia and Slovenia, in the midst of the Race for the Arctic. Four days later, Norwegians landed on the island and declared it Norwegian territory. A short armed conflict ensued in which the Pilgrims defeated the Norwegians at Medin Dolac, thus securing the island in Austrian hands. The Norwegians continued to claim the island, so the Arctic islands were divided at the Berlin Congress in 1878. Bear Island and Jan Mayen were awarded to Austria-Hungary, while Norway retained Svalbard. Franz Josef Land by agreement was given to the Russian Empire.

With the situation stabilized, Bear Island began developing economically and socially. On the island, despite the absolutist government in Vienna, a direct democracy developed, represented by the popular assembly on Lordmoot Hill, where the Pilgrims disembarked for the first time. The island was divided into three regions: Zahod, Srida and Vshod. The leadership of the regions was divided among the three strongest and most powerful families so far: Zaninović in Zahod, Planinić in Srida and Mlakar in Vshod. In 1884 Bear Island officially becomes the Crown Colony of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Emperor Franz Joseph I personally arrived on Bear Island for the official proclamation. In addition, Mavro Planinić was officially recognized as Bey of Bear Island, with Radovan as his capital. Mavro's achievements include opening the first public institutions, establishing and modernizing the standing army and navy, building the first roads and railways, and passing the first written laws, including the annual National Assembly at Lordmoot. The number of inhabitants soon reached a five-digit number due to high birth rates and the capture of refugees from the Adriatic.

Mavro Planinić died in 1889, and the title of Bey went to his son Potjeh, who ruled up until 1892 when he fell in a well and drowned. He was succeeded by his younger brother Domin. In 1895, a severe winter hit Bear Island, causing great famine and the death of many living beings. One of the victims were the Mlakar family which ruled Vshod. This created a political vacuum in the east, as the Mlakars were the only powerful family there. However, before clan conflicts could break out, Domin managed to persuade the Austrian government to resolve the conflicts, to which they sent the Stark family. They will play a major role in creating an independent state.

Norwegian rule

Entering the 20th century, tensions in the world reached a critical point, and it all culminated in the assassination of Franz Ferdinand in 1914. Thus began the war then known as The War to End All Wars. The Austrian War Council decided that they could not maintain a military presence on Bear Island, so they leased Bear Island to the Kingdom of Norway until the war ended. The war ended with the collapse of Austro-Hungary, marking the beginning of Norwegian domination of the island. From the beginning, the Norwegians imposed the Norwegian language on the island and suppressed national movements. It was the trigger for the biggest protests ever held on Bear Island. However, panicked Norwegian soldiers opened fire on the crowd, killing 72 and wounding 27. This forced Norway to include Bear Island in the 1920 Svalbard Treaty, guaranteeing them local autonomy.

Following the signing of the Treaty, the Norwegian authorities entered into intensive negotiations with Bear Island over autonomy. After 10 years of negotiations, in 1930 Bear Island gets the Home Rule. It finally established the autonomy of Bear Island, and enabled the right to independence. Domin Planinić (renamed himself Brandon Mormont after Norwegian authorities forced him to do so) died in 1931 and was succeeded by his son Jeor (Jørre, Jehor, Jure). In the first half of his reign, he increasingly forced the use of the Bear-Islandic language, which was not to the liking of Norwegian officials. He also tried to develop an army, but he was able to do so within the limits set by the Act of Union. Nevertheless, he managed to restore trust in the Catholic Church, which it had previously lost due to its subordinate position. During this time, Bear Island is experiencing very slow economic growth, mainly due to mining and wood industry.

In 1939 Hitler invades Poland, to which the UK and France declare war on him, thus starting World War II. After the rapid conquest of Poland, Hitler subdued Denmark in a few hours and attacked Norway. Although reinforcements from the Allies arrived, they were overpowered by the Germans and Norway fell. The king and his family fled to Bear Island. Faced with imminent defeat, King Haakon VII is forced to accept Jeor Mormont's request to establish the first real Bear Island Army, whose mission was to help the Allies against the galloping forces of the Axis. The island was bombed several times during the war in the period 1941-1945, and the most frequent targets were the largest cities (Plutosby, Beysby and Starkhavn) and military and industrial facilities. However, the real invasion never happened. In 1943, due to a lack of space in the El Shatt refugee camp, at Jeor's request, many Yugoslav refugees were moved by ships to Bear Island, to the camp near Beysby. This was made possible by the success of Operation Torch. Unlike at El Shatt, the refugees were given freedom of movement throughout the entire island, allowing the two separated nations to meet again. Many of decided to stay after the war.

After 1945, demands for independence intensified, especially after Icelandic independence a year earlier. Thus, Bear Island enters the phase of "national revival". During the National Revival, the national language was being standardized and encouraged, buildings were being constructed in the styles of those found in their original homeland, works of art on the theme of the new homeland were being published and old customs were rediscovered. A pro-independence party finally came to power in the Bear Island Parliament in 1959. In 1960, the Home Rule expired, leading to a referendum on independence. On a referendum, most of the nation voted for independence, so on June 18, 1960, Bear Island on Lordmoot severed all ties with Norway and became an independent state.

Independence

In the early stages of independence, Bear Island nearly went to war with Norway over the occupation of Svalbard, but war was avoided. The early independent period was marked by the emigration of Norwegians and the immigration of the Russian population. Various political turmoil was also happening, due to constant change of power. Jeor Mormont (Jure Planinić, the first Duke of Bear Island) died on September 13, 1970, and his son Jorah wins the election on the Independence Day 1971, becoming the second Duke of Bear Island. He pursused a policy of social welfare, however he was with odds with the Bear Island's political elite. In 1975 a pro-republican party won the election and immediately began to persecute dissidents and stifle human freedoms. When they abolished the National Assembly in 1977 and tried to overthrow Jorah from power, he turned on them and overthrew them in a bloody coup. He soon abolished Parliament in its entirety and replaced it with Sabir, which then served as an advisory council to the Duke.

Jorah Mormont died in 2001 and was succeeded by his son Marinej. Despite a more conservative political approach than his father, he resented Norway for its views on Svalbard and Jan Mayen, which he considered legitimate territory of the Duchy. Therefore, on July 26, 2006, Kingdom of Norway launched a military invasion of the Bear Island with the aim of overthrowing Marine and Sabir from power and establishing Norwegian rule over the island. The war met with fierce international criticism that resulted in the suspension of Norwegian NATO membership and the imposition of economic sanctions. Although numerically and militarily overpowered, Bear Island withstood the initial attack and mostly waged a guerilla war. The siege of Brnik, a city in the very south of the country, significantly slowed down the progress in the interior and spent Norwegian forces and material for the future. The city fell after three months of siege, followed by the worst genocide since the 1995 war in Bosnia. The winter period of the war was marked by the so-called Swamps War and the largest number of victims during the war. The turning point came after the Battle of the Greenland Sea in which the Norwegian Navy was decimated and after the Battle of Medin Dolac, where Norwegian forces were drawn into the valley and then hammered. The war ended in March 2007 with the capture of Jan Mayen and the peaceful integration of Plutonic Dominion into the Duchy.

After the end of the conflict, Bear Island was accepted as the 193rd member of the United Nations. This was followed by a period of reconstruction that still lasts today. On March 22, 2010, in Reykjavik, Norway and Bear Island signed an agreement to end the war, and then Bear Island was granted full membership in the Nordic Council and EFTA. 2011 Bear Island reopens borders due to the difficult economic situation caused by the 2008 economic crisis, but closes them again in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent times have been marked by support for separatist movements in Greenland and Lapland and policies of isolationism during the third decade of the 21st century. In 2019, the "Confederation" was refounded, whose goal is to unite all isolated Slavic states.

Geography

Bear Island is at the juncture of the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean. The main island and Svalbard archipelago is entirely north of the Arctic Circle. Bear Island, even though it is located inside the North American tectonic plate, is closer to continental Europe than to mainland North America, although it is closest to Greenland an island of North America. Bear Island is generally included in Europe for geographical, historical, political, cultural, linguistic and practical reasons. The closest bodies of land in Europe are Franz Joseph Land, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Shetland Islands; and the Scottish mainland, and Orkney. The nearest part of Continental Europe is mainland Norway, while nearest part of North America is located on Greenland and in Labrador.

Bear Island is the world's 28th-largest island, and Europe's 4th-largest island after Great Britain, Iceland and Ireland. The main island covers 50,876.28 km2, but the entire country is 112,449.28 km² in size, of which 52% is tundra. Bear Island contains about 300 minor islands, islets and skerries, of which the most populated are Sansego, San Servolo and Trečić. Lakes and glaciers cover 30% of its surface; only 16% is vegetated. The largest and deepest lake is Ledeno jezero.

The major part of the volcanic formations visible on the islands is characteristic of an effusive volcanism, which caused a trap rock formation to start emerging above the level of the ocean 35 million years ago. The accumulation is of a considerable amount; basalt flows, each with a thickness of three to ten metres, stacked on top of each other, sometimes up to a depth of 1,200 metres (3,900 ft). This form of volcanism creates a monumental relief shaped as stairs of pyramids. Other forms of volcanism are present locally, such as the strombolian volcano Vjetrovrh, and volcano-plutonic complexes around the island. Various geothermal sources, veins and extrusions of lava such as trachytes, trachyphonolites, and phonolites are common all over the island. However, mo eruptive activity has been recorded in historic times, but some fumaroles are still active in the south-west of Bear Island island. A few lignite strata, trapped in basalt flows, reveal fossilised araucarian fragments, dated at about 14 million years of age.

Glaciation caused the depression and tipping phenomena which created the gulfs at the north and east of the archipelago. Erosion caused by the glacial and fluvial activity carved out the valleys and fjords; erosion also created conglomerate detrital complexes, and the plain of the Mavro Peninsula.

Climate

Bear Island, located well south of the main islands in the Svalbard Archipelago, has the mildest climate in all the country. A branch of the North Atlantic current carries warm water to the west of Svalbard, passing Bear Island on its way. This influences climate, making it much warmer than other polar regions at similar latitude. Bear Island's climate is maritime and polar (Köppen ET) with relatively high temperatures during the winter, and a large amount of precipitation. The large winter precipitation is very unusual in a high polar region, a result of Atlantic Lows sometimes going this far northeast due open sea southwest of Bear Island. The record high 23.6 °C (74.5 °F) was recorded June 1953. The record low −31.6 °C (−24.9 °F) is from March 1927. The annual mean temperature was −0.4 °C (31.3 °F) in the period 1991–2020, thus threatening to melt permafrost on the island; by comparison, the annual mean temperature was −2.4 °C (27.7 °F) in the period 1961–1990.

While winters are very long, the maritime moderation and the delay of salt water ice formation makes Bear Island have much less cold winters than a lot of mid-latitude climates on the larger continental landmasses. In summer, the maritime influence causes seasonal lag. This means that August is slightly milder than July, which is extremely uncommon on high latitudes. The seasonal lag is extreme in the winter with the coldest month being March and April being colder than December.

Bear Island receives frequent precipitation, with snow throughout the year as well as rain. Svanigrad receives a modest amount of precipitation (371mm per year) compared to the east coast which receives an estimated three times as much precipitation per year. The mountains are frequently covered in snow but can thaw very quickly in rain. Over the course of several decades, many permanent glaciers have shown signs of retreat, with some smaller ones having disappeared completely.

The weather can be quite stable during the summer months, although foggy conditions are common, occurring during 20% of all days in July. Fog develops when the warm air of the Atlantic Ocean, from farther south, passes over cold water. The average monthly precipitation is lowest in May, and highest in September and October.

Because Bear Island lies on a boundary between cold water of polar origin and warmer Atlantic water, water temperatures within a few dozen nautical miles of the island are quite variable, sometimes reaching 10 °C (50 °F) in summer. During the winter fast ice develops on the coast, but it is rare on the open sea around Bear Island. The Barents Sea carries pack ice to Bear Island every winter, but a significant amount of ice is not common before February.

Politics

National politics in Bear Island take place within the framework of the nation's constitution of 1960. The government is a constitutional monarchy operated as a participatory democracy.

Bear Island is ruled by a Duke Lord Paramount of Bear Island and Plutonic Dominion (shortly Duke Lord Paramont or Duke). The Duke combines legislative, executive, and judicial functions and royal decrees form the basis of the country's legislation. Although it has rights regulated by the Constitution, it still retains great power. Namely, he can pass laws, pardon convicts, call elections, veto power, the supreme military command and even gain extraordinary authoritarian powers, although he may retain them only until the end of the crisis period. The Duke is de facto the prime minister, and presides over the Sabir, even though this position is generally held by the Palatine of Sabir. He or she is elected by the people at the National Assembly on the occasion of the abdication or death of the former Duke. Although all noble families are allowed to participate, the Mormont family has been sitting on the throne for centuries due to their merits in the development of the island.

When the Duke dies, his Palatine first asks his eldest son or daughter if he/she wants the throne. If he/she agrees, at least 2 more opponents must be found, and then the National Assembly chooses between them. If he refuses, then the people themselves must elect a new duke between existing noble families. This must take place at Lordmoot. However, before voting, all the candidates must explain to the people why he/she would be the right person on the throne. After that, voting takes place. To guarantee the anonymity of the vote, instead of ballot papers, voters throw pebbles from the hill into the box. Whoever has the most pebbles in their box becomes the new Duke.

The Sabir of Bear Island is considered as a combination of both legislative and executive institution since the abolishment of the Parliament in 1977. It consists of a total of 90 deputies: 45 of them come from noble families, while the other 45 are elected each year at the Lordmoot National Assembly on Independence Day. The members of the unicameral Sabir are elected individually; there are no parties and the legislature is consensus-based. The Duke is de facto presiding over Sabir, but he often gives the lead to his chief adviser, the Palatine, and thus the post of Prime Minister. The roles of Sabir include proposing and passing laws, establishing public order and peace, and directing public services. Most of the sessions of Sabir are held at the palace of House of Mormont, however, due to the reasons provided by law, Sabor can choose another location for the sessions, so the Sabir was nicknamed the "Itinerant Parliament".

According to the Constitution, the National Assembly is the legislative branch of the Duchy. It it is an assembly composed of all citizens of Bear Island. It must always be held on Independence Day at Lordmoot, although in case of adverse conditions it may be moved to a predetermined location. The National Assembly at Lordmoot can last several days or even up to a week. During this period, all public life on the island is suspended, except for the most vital jobs, such as police, shops and hospitals. The Assembly can also meet extraordinarily, if it is an important state matter (the last time it happened was in 2006 on the occasion of the war). Every adult is allowed to participate. It has the role of holding a referendum, voting on laws vetoed by the Duke, revoking any member of Sabor and electing officials.

Smaller popular assemblies take place every week in kotors, usually on Sundays. They discuss the affairs for which the kotors are in charge according to the Constitution. Eligible citizens of the kotor or district meet on a certain day in the open air to decide on specific issues. Voting is accomplished by those in favor of a motion raising their hands. Decision is taken by majority rule, and in case of incertitude, the Chancellor of the kotor estimates on which side the majority falls with the help of his colleagues from the communal council.

The Constitution of the Duchy of Bear Island stipulates that the capital of the Duchy is located in the place where the Duke of Bear Island resides, which automatically becomes the meeting place of the Sabir. Before 1977, the capital was Svanigrad, but after the coup, the above-mentioned changes were made. Since then, the seat of the state has changed with the venue of the Sabir, which has become a tradition over time. Most of the time in the calendar year the Sabir holds sessions in Mormont Keep, however, at any time during the year, the Sabir can move to another settlement for certain reasons (mostly in the case of emergencies or celebrating events). For example, in 2014, on the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the victory over the Norwegians, the Sabir assembled in Medin Dolac for a full week. The only place other than Mormont Fort that becomes a capital every year is the Lordmoot Hill because of annual holdings of the National Assembly. Although not a populated place, there is a common belief that during that period Lordmoot becomes the capital of the Duchy.