Katherine II

Katharina II
High Queen of Atmora and Mizuho; Queen of Lieseltania
Reign	26 May 2012 – present
Coronation	7 August 2012
Predecessor	Willem III
Heir apparent	Henrietta, Princess of Wolf
Chancellors	Louwrens Hovenier Lysithea van Hresvelg
Born	23 January 1989 (26 yrs.) KAU Hospitaal, Alexandria, Kingdom of Lieseltania, Atmora
Spouse	Prince William, Duke of Winterhaven (m. 2009)
Issue	Henrietta, Princess of Wolf Princess Eloise of Atmora Princess Emilia of Atmora
Full name Katharina Wilhelmina Françoise Winter Alexandra van Wolf
House	Wolf
Father	Willem III
Mother	Princess Alexandra of Asvarre

Styles of High Queen of Atmora
Reference style	Her Majesty
Spoken style	Your Majesty
Alternative style	Ma'am

Katharina II (Katharina Wilhelmina Françoise Winter Alexandra; born 23 January 1989) is, and has been since her accession on 2012, High Queen of Atmora and Queen of Lieseltania, upon the abdication of her father High King Willem III. She is the first cousins to Queen Victoria II Alexandra of Asvarra and Queen Helène II Françoise of Gallia, through her mother Princess Alexandra of Asvarre

Katherine was born in the Coudenberg, Alexandria as the eldest child along with her younger twin sister Princess Juliet-Alexandra to High King Willem III and High Queen Alexandra. Upon her birth she was titled as the Princess of Wolf and Duchess of Brabant as heiress apparrent to her father High King Willem III to the Atmoran and Lieseltanian thrones. In 2009, Katherine married Prince William of Castarcia with whom she has three daughters Henrietta, Princess of Wolf (born 2010), Princess Eloise (born 2012), and Princess Emilia (born 2012).

Birth and early life

Katharina Wilhelmina Franziska Winter Alexandra was born on 23 January 1989 at the Royal University of Alexandria Hospital in Alexandria, Lieseltania. Katharina is the first child of High King Willem III and High Queen Alexandra. She was born with her younger twin sister Juliette-Alexandra, who was born one hour after Katharina's birth. Her parents would go on to have two more further children Nikolaas (born 1991) and Madeleine (born 1995). She was christened by Archbishop of Spiere Marcel Hoogmartens in the Royal Palace of Alexandria at 4 weeks old on 27 February.

As the eldest child of the Atmoran sovereign, Katherine was automatically Princess of Wolf and Duke of Brabant at birth. As a granddaughter of King Frans-Ferdinand of Asvarre, held the title of Princess of Asvarre. When Katherine was 2-years old, her grandfather King Frans-Ferdinand passed away. Her family attended the funeral of Frans-Ferdinand at the Church of Our Lady of Rosée in Florennes, Asvarre. At the age of 3, together with her father, the High King and the rest of her family, Katherine attended the coronation of her uncle Nikolaas II in the Myennes Cathedral.

Katherine attended Mensenkoop primary school within the Alexandrian municipality of Arensgenhout together with her younger sister Juliette-Alexandra at the age of 6.

Reign

Accession and coronation

Main article: Coronation of Katherine II

On 27 October 2011, her father announced his intentions to abdicate the throne in favour of his daughter, the Princess of Wolf. On the 23 May 2012, William III signed the instrument of abdication in the Coudenberg Palace, Pruzhana in the audience of the state executive and the nobility of Lieseltania. Following the abdication of her father as High King of Atmora, Mizuho, and King of Lieseltania, Katherine was proclaimed by the state executive and the nobility as Katherine II, Queen of Lieseltania. Katherine II departed from the Coudenberg Palace in a parade with a procession from the Royal Life Guards, Life Marechaussee Horse Guards, and the Blue Guards. Katherine II would arrive in Alexandria giving a speech from the Royal Palace of Alexandria as a symbolic representation of her proclamation as the High Queen. The following day, on the 24 May, the Council of Sovereigns publicly proclaimed and affirmed the federal princes recognition of the Queen of Lieseltania as the High Queen.

Preparations for the coronation of Katherine underwent as soon as her father announced his intentions to abdicate. In the Royal Palace of Alexandria on 23 November 2012, Katherine II was crowned as Queen of Lieseltania in the attendance of the federal princes, parliament, Lieseltanian nobles, and foreign dignitaries. With her coronation as Queen of Lieseltania, she was further inaugurated as the High Queen of Atmora, taking upon the solemn oath to the constitution of the Atmoran Confederation.

National crisis

The initial four years of her reign were marked as the period of Atmoran economic prosperity under her Chancellor Lysithea van Hresvelg. Who had managed to stabilise the Atmoran economy following the Atmoran recession of 2007. The relationship between Katherine II and Chancellor Hresvelg was amicable. Katherine II, on 7 March 2013, welcomed the announcement by Chancellor Hresvelg on her intentions to form the Halkeginian Union and the economic integration of the Halkeginian Sea.

Katherine II, on 27 June 2014, would meet with the Emperor Connor II of Castarcia, King Jacques II of Hesperia, Queen Alice of Treseymia, and the President of Batavia in Florennes, Asvarre to discuss the formation of the Halkeginian Union. The High Queen did invite her cousin High King Elisaveta II of Vozh to attend the meeting, however Elisaveta II did not attend the Halkeginian Heads of State conference. Much to the displeasure of the Hresvelg government, who wished to see Vozh integrated into the Halkeginian Economic Community. Despite their respective governments' reservations towards each other, Katherine II would maintain good relations with her cousin Elisaveta II. She often used her influence to convince the Chancellor to resolve the Halkeginian question peacefully.

However, with the reelection of the Hresvelg government in 2016 and the rising tensions with Vozh, Aravea and internally with the possibility of the Atmoran Interior War resuming. The once amicable relationship between the High Queen and the Chancellor would begin to break down. Especially with the Chancellor's inactions towards the rising ethnic and political extremism in the Voshagne by March 2016. With the support of the official opposition and the States Assembly of Lieseltania, Katherine II acted without the consent of the Chancellor. Declaring a state of emergency on 17 March 2016 after the 2016 Novigrad bombings killed 15 and wounded 67 people, the largest loss of life since the Interior War. Under royal prerogative and as the Commander-in-Chief of the Atmoran Armed Forces, Katherine II directed the military and police to begin order to Eastern Lieseltania.

Winter War

Main article: Winter War (Halkeginia)

Portrait of High Queen Katherine II c. 2016

Atmora was invaded by the air and land forces of Vozh on 14 December 2016. Katherine had summoned Chancellor Lysithea van Hresvelg the same day to the Royal Palace to discuss the course of action for the war. Reportedly on 15 December, members of Parliament and the Leader of the Official Opposition Louwrens Hovenier had approached the High Queen with their discontent to the war and the Hresvelg government. Seeking approval from the Crown before calling for a vote of no confidence during wartime. Yet, the High Queen would not approve of nor disapprove of the vote if it were to happen. The following day at 08:38 on 16 December, all members of the Christain Union had resigned from the Hresvelg government. Leader of the Christain Union Willem van den Fange introduced a motion to Parliament calling for the resignation of Chancellor Hresvelg and her government for the mishandling of the Vozhan situation. The motion had passed 278 in favour, 220 opposed, and 36 present.

Following the dissolution of the Hresvelg Government, Katherine II made a broadcast announcement declaring the formation of the National Unity government under Chancellor Louwrens Hovenier. She instructed the cabinet, armed forces, and citizenry to resist Vozhan aggression. Katherine declared to parliament that there could be no talks of peace so long as Vozh continued to occupy Atmoran territory.

Following the Attack on Brunna on 16 December by Royal Vozhsk Navy frogmen that resulted in the deaths of 37 sailors, 3 marine commandos killed, and numerous wounded as a result of the attack. Katherine II would leave for the frontlines on the 19 December to the Voshagne to visit the wounded sailors and marines at Marinebasis Brunna along with at Prinsesse Maëlys Military Hospital, Novigrad. Katherine II would make a visit to Ossenvoorde and Horovitz in 21 December to visit wounded troops in the Walchmarken, much to the displeasure of Vice-Chancellor Weiss van der Schnee who worried that her guard detail could not ensure her safety so close to the front.

On her return back to Alexandria, and the foiled assassination attempt on Vice-Chancellor Weiss van der Schnee and the capture of Chancellor Louwrens Hovenier by KKDB spies. There was another foiled attempt by KKDB agents to sneak into the Royal Palace of Alexandria the following evening on 21 December. With KKDB agents' goal of capturing the High Queen and transporting her back to Vozh. However Marechaussee der 1de klasse Klaas de Jongh of the Garderegiment Lijfmarechaussee would engage in a firefight with three KKDB agents, suffering fatal wounds. Marechaussee de Jongh would be posthomously knighted in the Military Order of Alexandra for his sacrifice in the defence of his commander-in-chief. Delaying the assailants long enough, giving his life to his duty for additional palatial guards to drive off the assailants from the palace grounds.

While publicly stating that the governments should not be entering into peace talks so long as the occupation continued. The High Queen would be on 21 December be in continuous correspondence with Elisaveta II on how to end the bloodshed. The talks between the two monarchs would be instrumental in convincing their respective governments that peace is attainable. On 28 December, the signing of the Chervyen Armastice ended the bloodshed in Central Halkeginia. In a speech to the nation, Katherine II assured the Confederation that the confidence in the government to maintain Atmora's interests had not been waived. That the valiance of the Atmoran Armed Forces to maintain the territorial integrity and protection of the Confederation heralds every one them as heroes of the Confederation in her most dire of times. However, on 2 January, the Walchmarken federal princes signed the Edict of Ossenvoorde to protest the ongoing treaty negotiations with the government of Vozh. Katherine II sent a private response to the Edict of Ossenvoorde, stating they may have liberties to do as they please in their own domains. That the Crown of the Confederation could not and would not infringe upon those rights is another matter when they try to intervene on matters that are the sole responsibility of the Crown and Her Majesty's government in Alexandria.

Public perception and character

Main article: Personality and image of Empress Katherine

Titles, styles, honors and arms

Titles and styles

Main article: List of titles and honours of Empress Katherine II

• 23 January 1989 – 21 October 2009: Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wolf

• 21 October 2009 – 26 May 2012: Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wolf, Duchess of Winterfell

• 26 May 2012 – present: Her Majesty Katherine the Second, by the Grace of God, High Queen of Atmora and Mizuho, Queen of Lieseltania, Head of the Commonwealth.
  In Dutch: Hare Majesteit Katherine de Tweede, bij de gratie van God, Hoge Koningin van Atmora en Mizuho, Koningin van Lieseltanië, Hoofd der Gemenebest.
  In Mizuhese: 神の恩寵、アトモラ天皇と水穂、リーゼルタニア女王、連合長、笠利2世陛下
  (Kami no onchō, atomora ten'nō to Mizuho, rīzerutania joō, rengō-chō, Kasari 2-sei heika) *ごめんなさい

Arms

Main article: Coat of Arms of Katherine II

Ancestry

Albert Malfait

Henri Malfait

Helène Verhaeghe

Prince Nikolaas, Count of Lezhë

Frans-Willem Vercruysse van Lezhë

Nora Vercruysse van Lezhë

Eloise Maertens

Willem III

Count Albert de Maseneer van Mostinckx

Frederik IV

Princess Maëlys

Katherine I

Karel III of Gallia

Princess Madeleine of Gallia

Princess Katharina of Lippe

Katherine II

Prince Filips, Count of Florennes

Ferdinand IV

Princess Marie of Ysenburg and Zwartenberg

Frans-Ferdinand

Emile de Montesquiou-Fezensac

Maria-Teresa van Montesquiou-Fezensac

Mèlina van den Driessche

Princess Alexandra of Asvarre

Nicolaas van Mirbach

Gerard Mirbach

Bernadette van der Meiren

Cecilia van Mirbach

Olivier van de Meulebroucke

Daphne van de Meulebroucke

Visenna van Wolf-Schalenburg