Kesselbourg

Principality of Kesselbourg Fürstentum Kesselbuerg (Hoeltish)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "esto perpetua" "Let it be perpetual"
Anthem: Un der Freed "Ode to Joy"
Kesselbourg (dark green) in Euclea (light green and light grey) and in the Euclean Community (light green).
Capital and largest city	Kesselbourg City
Official languages	Hoeltish
Demonym(s)	Kesselbourgish Kesselbourger
Government	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
• Prince	Christophe
• Premier	Wout Wanser-Plas
Legislature	States-General
Independence from Hennehouwe
• Principality	985
• Union with Hennehouwe	1666
• Independence from Hennehouwe	January 7, 1856
• Government-in-exile	March 19, 1926
• Independence from Gaullica	February 12, 1935
• EC member state	January 1, 1948
Area
• Total	8,074 km2 (3,117 sq mi)
Population
• 2021 estimate	2,867,813
• 2018 census	2,801,226
GDP (PPP)	estimate
• Total	€231.3 billion
• Per capita	€80,658
GDP (nominal)	2015 estimate
• Total	€236.8 billion
• Per capita	€82,581
Gini (2011)	31.2 medium
HDI (2013)	0.939 very high
Currency	Euclo (€) (EUC)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+352
Internet TLD	.kb

Kesselbourg (Hoeltish: Kesselbuerg), officially the Principality of Kesselbourg (Hoeltish: Fürstentum Kesselbuerg) is a landlocked country in Eastern Euclea. It borders Kirenia to the west, Hennehouwe to the east, and Gaullica to the south. With a population of just over 2.8 million and an area of 8,074 km², it is the second-smallest sovereign state in Euclea by both population and area, behind only Montecara. A constitutional monarchy, Kesselbourg's head of state is nominally the Prince of Kesselbourg, currently Christophe, though the prince is a figurehead who only exercises nominal power. The States-General is led by the Premier of Kesselbourg, currently Klaas-Jan Gerner. It is known internationally for being the location of the headquarters of many geopolitical organisations, including the Euclean Community and Community of Nations.

The area that is now Kesselbourg was a frontier state of the Solarian Empire from its annexation in the 1st century CE until the Empire's fall in 426 CE, after which Kesselbourg was nominally an independence state, first as the Free County of Kesselbourg and then the Principality of Kesselbourg in 985 CE. Kesselbourg was largely able to maintain its independence despite larger, more powerful neighbors such as the Kingdom of Gaullica to the south and the Kingdom of Hennehouwe to the east. However, the Amendist Wars in 1582 sparked a religious crisis in Kesselbourg between Catholics and Portestants that led to a civil war and eventual invasion and occupation by Gaullica. Kesselbourg was ravaged by war and from that point onward was in a union with Gaullica until 1607, then in a union with Hennehouwe from 1666 until 1719 when Kesselbourg was ceded to Gaullicaof which it remained a part until the 1855 Congress of Torazza.

From 1855, Kesselbourg remained an independent state until it was invaded and annexed by Gaullica in 1926, prompting the introduction of a government-in-exile in Werania that same year. Kesselbourgish sovereignty was reintroduced once more at the Treaty of s'Holle in 1935 at the conclusion of the Great War, during which Kesselbourg rebelled against Gaullica and fought on the side of the successful Grand Alliance. Later that year, the principality was chosen as the capital of the new Community of Nations. In 1948, it became a founding member of the Euclean Community, also becoming its capital city.

As a country, Kesselbourg ranks highly on indexes such as democracy, quality of life, liberty and human rights. Its GDP per capita is the highest in the world and the country itself is host to hundreds of companies and international organisations, who often take advantage of Kesselbourg's low tax rates, which has led some to call it a tax haven. It ranks high on environmental quality and Kesselbourg City is consistently ranked amongst Euclea's greenest cities. Kesselbourg is a member of the Community of Nations, Euclean Community (as well as the Euclozone and Zilverzee Area), the Global Institute of Fiscal Affairs and the International Trade Organisation, among many others.

Etymology

It is believed that the name of Kesselbourg (Hoeltish: Kesselbuerg) comes from Solarian: castellum, meaning castle, and Hoeltish: Buerg, meaning castle; thus, the name of Kesselbourg essentially means "castle castle". However, "castellum" is different to "Buerg" in that "castellum" is a diminutive of a purely military fortification, while "Buerg" has the connotation of city. A more contextualised analysis of the etymology of Kesselbourg may therefore suggest its name refers to a fortified town on the site of a Solarian fort or encampment. This is supported by the fact that the original Kesselbourgish settlers would not have been able to analyse the Solarian language to deduce that it was already named castle (thus appending the suffix meaning castle), and archaeological evidence which suggests a fortified town did in fact grow on the site of a Solarian fort, rebuilding the fort's walls and towers entirely in stone to form the citadel which is today colloquially the Old City area.

History

Solarian

The territory of modern day Kesselbourg was inhabited by southern Weranic Tribes closely related to those found further to the east in modern day Hennehouwe. These tribes were insulated by a series of hills and and bogs that gave them some measure of protection from larger, more powerful tribes found to the west and south. However, the region was annexed by the Solarian Empire in the 1st century CE. The Solarians subdued them by building a fort in the central valley of the region, which also protected the Solarian Empire from barbarian raids from the west and north, with a town developing around it that eventually became Kesselbourg City. During the later years of the Solarian Empire, Kesselbourg came under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Gallenmark, a vassal state to the empire. Kesselbourg remained a part of the Solarian Empire until its fall in 426 CE, at which point Kesselbourg emerged as a free county, its lands comprising the eponymous capital city and the rural localities surrounding it.

In 985, the Solarian Catholic Pope wrote to Otto of Kesselbourg, who at the time styled himself Count of Kesselbroug. The Pope recognized Otto’s authority over the area, and elevated Kesselbourg to a principality. Historians debate if this was because of Otto’s zeal in making war against the pagans on Kesselbourg’s western borders, or because of his pragmatism. Others argue that it was due to his personal piety and wisdom with which he ruled his lands. In any event, for much of its early history, Kesselbourg remained a small rural region between Northern and Eastern Euclea located at a crossroads of trade that led to its prosperity.

Early medieval

Historical evidence indicates that Kesselbourg became a hub of refugees fleeing the coastal regions of eastern Euclea during the Varangian Age, as a result of coastal raids. Kesselbourg, already a relatively compact and well defended territory, grew steadily in population and experienced an influx of new cultures. In 1189, Prince Rolf I granted the town of Kesselbourg certain rights which were modeled after towns in Werania, called the Kesselbourg Charter. The Charter was largely an original document and was adopted by some surrounding towns as they too acquired town rights. In the documentation surrounding the charter, however, it is explicitly mentioned that Rolf I maintained control of the salt mines around the city, establishing that there was significant salt mining in the area by the 12th century.

Prince George I aligned with the Ringian League in 1199, after conceding some bordering vineyards and other assets to Verliquois. Kesselbourg gained renown throughout the Middle Ages as a notable producer of salt and other minerals found in the hilly countryside, and as a local cattle market due to its large swaths of fertile farmland. In 1236, the main church was ravaged by fire and the large Saint Barbara's Cathedral was built to replace it. Half of the cathedral’s funding came from Prince Albert IV’s personal expense, and the other half from the Kesselbourg City’s coffers, making the city a religious centre that housed numerous religious relics and the remains of local saints.

High medieval

The Estates of Kesselbourg were created in 1301 by Prince John II, creating three bodies which would convene together and advise and provide counsel to the Prince, consisting of the clergy, the burghers and the peasants. John did not grant the nobility an estate as he perceived that he himself was close enough to them that an estate representation was unnecessary. He convened the General Estates around once a year, helping him to raise more revenue and keep discontent down, as he was a charismatic and skilled negotiator. Representation for the peasants proved satisfactory to keep the common peace and ensure cooperation and productivity. The Estates of Kesselbourg would gradually evolve into the States-General.

Gaullican and Hennish Rule

The beginning of the Amendist Wars in 1582 sparked a religious crisis in Kesselbourg, in which the population was divided between Catholicism and Amendism. Subject to influence from both the Catholic Gaullica and Amendist Hennehouwe, Prince Leopold III, himself a Catholic, attempted to implement a solution that recognised both religions, and would avoid potential war with either nation. Leopold died in 1585, and was succeeded as Prince by his son Leopold IV, who controversially converted to Amendism shortly after his accession. His conversion prompted papal condemnation and served as the pretext by which Gaullica invaded, sieged and razed the city in short order. During the ensuing occupation and the remainder of the wars, Kesselbourg was largely destroyed by several raids and sieges by enemy forces as well as plundering and looting by the Gaullican occupants.

Kesselbourg, despite it's condition, was an active participant in the Amendist Wars fighting on the side of the Amendist League, despite itself being mostly Catholic and under nominal Gaullican rule. The Peace of Frankendorf eventually restored Kesselbourgish sovereignty under Prince Roland, though by then Kesselbourg had been ravaged by war and severely depopulated with destroyed infrastructure, the damage of which would take Ksselbroug centuries to recover from. In 1666, Kesselbourg was joined in a personal union with the Kingdom of Hennehouwe (based in the predominantly Solarian Catholic Southern part of the country), and in 1689 it was annexed directly, with Kesselbourgish institutions kept separate. This state of affairs persisted until 1719, when the Kingdom of Hennehouwe reunited Hennehouwe with aid from the Kingdom of Gaullica, to which Kesselbourg was ceded in return for its support in unifying Hennehouwe.

Under Hennish and then Gaullican sovereignty, Kesselbourg was largely rebuilt using funds from their expansive colonial and trade empires. Gaullica's loss in the War of the Triple Alliance allowed Kesselbourg to secure its independence again in 1855 at the Congress of Torazza, the first time in three hundred years that Kesselbourg existed as a sovereign state.

Modern Era

The States-General was reintroduced in 1871, with universal manhood suffrage introduced in 1902 and universal suffrage later in 1921. Neutrality was enshrined in the country's law in 1902, preventing any government from declaring or participating in any wars of its own volition. However, this did not stop Kesselbourg from being invaded and annexed by Gaullica in 1926, prompting the introduction of a government-in-exile in Werania that same year. At the outbreak of the Great War in 1927, Kesselbourg rose up in rebellion against Gaullica and the rebels along with the government-in-exile begain collaborating with the Grand Alliance in the hopes of regaining independence should the Grand Alliance prevail against the Entente, of which Gaullica was a member.

Ultimately, the Grand Alliance prevailed in 1925, and as part of the Treaty of s'Holle, Kesselbourg's independence was achieved once more and the principality was chosen as the capital of the new Community of Nations. Kesselbourg later fought against the Eturian Revolutionary Republic in the Solarian War from 1943-1946 as part of the Community of Nations, the latter of whihc emerged victorious. In 1948, it became a founding member of the Euclean Community, also becoming its capital city.

Politics and government

Kesselbourg is a unitary state, whose head-of-state role is exercised by a constitutional monarch, whose powers are figurehead-like in nature. The country's unicameral legislature is the States-General of Kesselbourg, which is elected every six years (the last time in 2019) using the Menshikov-Fonvizin-Marissens method of proportional distribution. Kesselbourg's head-of-government is the Premier, usually chosen as the leader of the largest party in the coalition. The current prince is Christophe, who has ruled since 1991, and the current premier is Wout Wanser-Plas, who has held office since 2019, leading a coalition government consisting of The Ecologists, the Free Liberal Party, Kesselbourgish People's Party and Remedie.

Kesselbourg's constitution is a codified document that is nominally the supreme law of the land. The constitution was first introduced in 1871, which outlined means of civilian government, with major revisions coming in 1902, where universal manhood suffrage and constitutional neutrality were introduced, 1921, where universal suffrage was introduced, and in 1935 where the powers of the monarchy were curtailed and those of the States-General elevated. The Kesselbourgish judiciary is organised on two levels, the staatsrechtbanken (state courts), who are the top level of courts in the country and deal with major offenses, and the kantonale rechtbanken (cantonal courts), who deal with minor offenses on a cantonal or municipal level.