Christopher II
Christopher II (French: [Krisˈtoffer]; born 11 April 1993) is the King-Emperor of Derita. He ascended to the throne on 14 May 2021 following the tragic death of his father, Emperor Almahn I. As heir apparent to the throne, he previously bore the title of Crown Prince of Derita and Duc d'Berry, and worked to support philanthropic causes and to promote international fellowship among countries.
In accordance with the Deritain Constitution, as monarch, he is head of state and commander-in-chief of the Amperiale Armed Forces, and also plays a role in promoting relations with Imperial Europe, the "nations of its historical community".He is married to Empress Elizabeth of Russlande, with whom he has two sons and three daughters. Andre, the eldest son and child, is his Heir presumptive
Birth and Early Life
Christopher II was born in Port Victoria at the Versa de Palais clinic, the first child and only son of Crown Prince Almahn of Derita and Princess Sara of Antonney. He was baptised on 8 February 1994 at the Palace of Auxerre by the Archbishop of Asto, Casseterian Manetan. His full baptismal name, Christopher Andre-Auguste Jerome William de Auxerre de la Volonte, consists of the names of the first Bourbon King of Derita William I, his grandfathers (Prince Jerome of Guyenne and Emperor Almahn I of Derita), his great-grandfather Prince Alphonse Andre-Auguste III of Guyenne. His godparents were his paternal grandfather Almahn I and his paternal great-grandmother, Queen Aura Victoire of Derita. Shortly after his birth he was styled Prince, since his father was not yet king. The ruling emperor, his grandfather, Almahn I the Great died just over two months before Christopher's sixth birthday, and Christopher's father ascended the throne. In his first official appearance, Christopher attended his father's proclamation as king on 22 November 1999.
Christopher was formally created Crown Prince of Derita, Duc d'Berry; along with the subsidiary titles of Prince of Brittany and Prince of Navarre and Prince of Algeria, on 22 January 2001. In May, eight-year old Christopher was made an honorary soldier of the 1st King's Immemorial Amperiale Infantry Regiment.The occasion was marked on 28 May and was attended by the Emperor, the Chief Minister and several other ministers in a ceremony at the infantry's barracks. On 1 November the same year, he was ceremonially installed as Prince of Guyenne. In 2005 Crown Prince Christopher received the Collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece from his father, the Chief and Sovereign of the Order On 30 April 2011, at the age of 18, Christopher swore allegiance to the Constitution and to the Emperor.
Christopher grew into a healthy but reserved and shy child. The family, that being of his father, the Duc d'Berry and Crown Prince Almahn moved to Guyenne Palace in 1995, where Christopher and his younger sister Princess Alanna, Duchesse of Nemors and Gelanny, were educated together by private tutors. Family letters show that he could read and write in both French, English and German, as well as comment on political events of the time, by the age of six. He is the first Deritain monarch to study science systematically as well as the first to be trained in medicals tasks. Apart from chemistry and physics, his lessons included astronomy, mathematics, French, Latin, history, music, geography, commerce, agriculture and constitutional law, along with sporting and social accomplishments such as dancing, fencing, and riding. His religious education was however lacking, offend encouraged towards both Islam and Catholicism. At age 10 the now Crown Prince Christopher took part in a family production of King Jerome VI's play Court of Ferona and played the god Apollo, which everyone revolved around.
Marriage
In 2013, Christopher, finally coming out of his quite shell, was smitten with Comtesse Marie Ėlizabetha, sister of the Duke of Roçan, but Queen Sara, his mother advised against the match and Christopher abandoned his thoughts of marriage. "I am born to be wed to that of a great nation," he wrote, "and consequently must often act contrary to my passions." Nevertheless, attempts by the Emperor to marry Christopher to Princess Sophie Caroline of Brunswick were resisted by him and his mother; it was a bullet dodged, for Sophie in fact died in a car accident in in the winter of 2014.
The following year in 2015, at the age of 21 Christopher, at the encouragement of his sister and his cousin, Princess Christina he began to dabble in the romantic world. The search for a suitable wife intensified after the assassination of Christopher's great-uncle, Prince Waxwilliam. In the spring of 2015, Christopher meet two poteinal wives, Princess Lyanna, the sister of Emperor Eric of Valaran and Grand Duchess Alara-Elizabeth, granddaughter of Tsar Konstantin II of Russlande.
It was quickly and widely believe that Christopher would choose to be wedded to the charming and polite Princess Lyanna, however, suddenly things changed and with the backing of his father, Christopher instead proposed to the Grand Duchess. On the same day that Christopher propsed, an assassination of most of the royal family of russlande resulted in the crown going to the grand duchess, making her Tsarina of Russlande. She quickly accepted the proposal and on the 29th of April they were legally married. However they didn't have a wedding ceremony until 21 January, 2016.
Merveilleux War
On the 2 of May, 2015, Christopher's father, Emperor Almahn II declared war on the nation of Great Hyruke. This wasn't the first war that Derita had been involved since, the first being in 2006 in the Rhine Revolution, but it was the first major war since 1745 and it shocked the nation.
Christopher was the strongest one of the many people who were against the war and as Crown Prince, he held much of the sway of the people. In the summer of 2015 as the first battles took place, the Emperor sent Christopher as far away as possible to avoid his out spoken peaceful ways.
Whilst the rest of the world as forced to endure the ghastly sights of the front lines of the war up close and personal, for example, Christopher's own sister several times in 2017 and 2018 crossed the front lines, meeting with their widowed great-uncle Maria, of Great Hyruke, and enemy of their father, Almahn II. Meanwhile Christopher was held under virtual house arrest by the agents of his father for almost the entire period of the war. The closest he ever got was in the failed Venice Conference of 2018.
When the war finally ended in 2020, the Crown Prince was not pleased. While the death total for Derita was a little over 5,000; many of the other participants had lost millions, including the Deritain allies of Rhine-East Berlin and Polonge. Even Christopher's wife's country had taken very heavy losses. The Great Hyrukian Royal Family, cousins of Christopher, had been almost completely wiped out.
The Emperor, now styling himself as Almahn II "The Conqueror"; outraged the world when after marching victoriously into the city of Oxford, he removed Queen Jenna II from the throne and declared himself King of Great Hyruke.
Ascension
However, Almahn The Conqueror was not able to enjoy his conquest for long and within two years, he suffered from a heart attack after a failed assassination attempt and died. He was 67 years old and had ruled for 22 years. The new Emperor of Derita was Christopher, who was, at 29 years old, the youngest ruler to crownded since his grandfather in 1909, 112 years earlier.
Early Reign (2021-2035)
The first decade and a half of Christopher's reign was one of complex and ever rapidly changing political ideas, opinions and standings of power. As once stated by the famed Caos, Christopher was set up to be great. His father, Almahn the Conqueror had already placed Derita in a sphere and standard of respect and power. In the Rhine Revolution, Second Rhine-Prussian War, Tuscana Wars and Three Weeks War, Christopher's father had crushed the enemy and gained power, wealth and control that enabled his son, the now Emperor to rule greatly.
Upon his succession in the late spring of 2021, the new emperor had choices to make. The first was his regnal name. Originally it was believed that he would choose ether Almahn III or Andre Augustus VII, but instead he chose to continue to be known as Christopher. And in honor of his great-uncles, who were now all dead, Jerome II having died in 1997, Christopher died in 2013 and Waxwilliam in 2015, he took the name Christopher II, since he was the second in the Volonté Dynasty to hold that name.
Having sorted out the domestics of being a new Royal, Emperor Christopher II turned to international affairs. Whilst Derita had earned power and respect among the rest of the world, there was now a mistrust and anger towards the country that even today is sometimes seen. In Espana, who had suffered two defeats at the hands of Christopher's father in the Tuscana Wars and Three Weeks War, the King had married a Deritain duchess. However the Spanish seemed to dislike her deeply. In the small country of Genoa, which had for years before completely depended on Derita, there was bits of Anti-Deritain sparks flying around the precariously placed young Queen Régent Adela, a distant cousin of Christopher.
Meanwhile, with the two Deritain Queens struggling to hold on to their own throne, there was a slow and seemingly minor crisis growing in Derita. "Precarious is the Emperor with no Heir". This phrase, spoke by Christopher's head advisor, Cheif Minister LeCastle became wide spread as the nation pressured the 29 year old ruler to have children. In Hindsight there was not much to worry about, Christopher's grandfather had not had a son until he was in his 46th year of reigning and was 60 years old. Almahn II had his children at an age of 39. But at the time it was a pressing issue that made Christopher II very cautious and careful.
Since the King-Emperor did not have children at this point, this brought up yet another delicate issue, if he were to die without children, who would succeed him? Usually the answer would be siblings, or even uncles, but Christopher had only one sibling, a sister and no uncles ( or aunts for that matter) and no great-uncles now. This left three possible direct heirs, his sister, Alanna, his cousin Christina and his other cousin, Jenna.
This situation worried the Deritain Public as there had never before been an Empress or a Queen before. Salic Law had been abolished in 1827, but there was no clear rule about woman and their role as monarchs in Derita.
Nine Years War
On 13 January, 2021; Emperor Francis II of Polonge declared war on Russlande. the following day, Christopher's wife declared war on Polonge and Christopher's cousin-in-law declared war on Russlande. It was a war of the in-laws and Christopher tried desperately to get the different sides to come together and talk things out. However it was not to be and despite many requests for the three rulers, and by 2022 there were at least eight major countries in play at warfare, in 2023 Derita joined the side of Russlande.
In the south of Europe, in the Balkans, the Second Greek War of Independence broke out and the Kingdom of Serbia was threaten by invasion. The Serbian Queen, Queen Alaza I of Serbia was horrified by the war and fled to Derita, were she was originally from. Soon after the serbian Royal Family fled to Derita, the Kingdom of Serbia itself was over run with invaders, Including the Cocomoans and the Greeks and even the Russlandains. Under the strong but still ver foreign command of General Morchev, a Russlandain general, they opened up the Serbian Frant which served to be very important for fighting against the Polongains. Meanwhile the Deritains and Christopher II alll watched anxiously.
In the second month of 2024, Christopher, not wishing to contribute any more to the devastation taking place in eastern Europe, had Derita drop out of the war and return to its antebellum status. But this was not simple. The air was filed with the hopes that Russlande would lose, for Alara was less and less liked each and everyday and the nation feared an overly powerful Russlande. The mind set of that of Almahn II still held on, even though he had died years before. However, far more delicate and pressing issues forced Christopher to neglect the Nine Years War after 2024. When in 2029 the war finally ended, the Deritain people were disappointed, Alara had won, but luckily not overly so. The Treaty was held in Olsé-Seine, Derita.
Genoise Crisis
Whilst the Nine Years War brewed and grew, much of the first three years of Christopher's reign in foreign affairs was concerns for the Valois Dynasty that was tittering on the brink of destruction. the reigning Regent, Queen Adela was widely disliked by her people, and during the years of her regency for her son, Crown Prince Frederick from 2018 to 2021, Adela was seen as a Marie Antoinette, a gambler and spender, one of vast wealth and not a care in the world, and most of all, she was a foreigner.
Deritain-Genoise relations between 2014 and 2023 were rather complex. The Kingdom of Genes, originally depended completely on Derita for most of the nation's resources, such as electricity, lead, iron, concrete and work force. This set the bases of the eventual 'Deritainfication' of Genes. King Frederick I had taken the throne in 2012 in the midst of civil war and in 2015 he proposed to and married Adela Réev, a distant cousin on Almahn II's mother side. By 2018 the couple had two sons, Frederick and Roiel and a daughter Sophie Charlotte.
However, in the year of 2018, King Frederick was presumed dead after disappearing for 3 weeks. Queen Adela was over come with grief and sadness. It was at this time that things spiraled out of control. The then Emperor, Almahn II tried to intervene and help the situation. He sent Adela's father, Ousamane II, Duc d'Ena-Albany to Genes to advise his daughter. This was meet with aggression. The duke called Parliament together and held meetings. But to the public it made it seem like Ousamane was trying to take over the country.
The Duc d'Ena-Albany worked in the best interest of his daughter, Queen Adela. He, leading the nation's Parliament had Adela voted to be made Queen Regent until Frederick's 19th Birthday. This movement was passed. Throughout the 2020's it was suspected that Ousamane manipulated the Parliament and politicians. This can not be prove as all proof of possible evidence, letters, papers, files, computer documents and such were destroyed in 2037 by Queen Adela's secretaries.
In any event, wither intentional or not, Ousamane did in fact subtly give all power to the monarch, Adela, and in affect to those who controlled her, himself. History would likely be very different if Ousamane hadn't advised Adela, or if Adela had not listened to her farther, or she had been put under influence of anyone else. Whilst Adela held the title of Queen Regent, her father was the power behind the throne and secretly ran the country.
When revolt unexpectedly, or at least to the Deritains and the Royal Family it was unexpected, broke out shortly before Almahn II's death, Christopher was in Venice and was shocked and applauded.
During his early reign, Christopher II choose to respond to the ever growing crisis in Genes with a touch and go attitude. While Deritain support always remained strong and foreign affairs revolved around completely around Genes and the hopes of keeping Adela in the throne. Christopher at times held soldiers in Monaco, just outside of the smaller country in hopes to persuade the Génoise people to agree with Adela.
In 2023 Derita itself finally grew involved in the action with Genes. Adela fled the nation to Derita. King-Emperor Christopher II meet with her and they spoke, the first time in years. Christopher described Adela as a kind woman who had been forced into the throne of Genes and now would not let go. When Adela asked her cousin Christopher how she should ruled Genes, he responded famously: "Why, as a Queen of course."
However things took a dangerous turn when after Adela returned to Genes, she was forced to come back to Derita to plead for mercy in front of the globe. Christopher II was selected to hold the position as judge for Adela's trial. Whilst the two are cousins, both later agreed in 2041, that Christopher would have likely mercilessly punished Adela had the trial not gone their way. Adela won her trial and Christopher drafted up the Treaty of Essen. This final treaty was the last of eight that ended the Génoise Wars in 2024.
Succession Dilemma
With the majority of fixable affairs finished by 2024, only three years since had succeed the throne, Christopher and his wife Elizabeth faced another problem. It was not a new one, but an old that had resurfaced. Christopher turned his focus to domestic affairs after the war. Empress Alara-Elizabeth had still not given birth to a child from Christopher, she had not had a child at all for that matter, who became worried about the future of his empire following his death.
The couple had been married and childless for almost a decade by this point and the people were wanting a crown prince. Christopher's heir was his sister, but she was quite clear that she did not want to become the first empress in the case of Christopher's death before he produced children. Instead it was made that his nephew, William would become Emperor in that case. It was not until 11 years later that William would cease to be the Crown Prince of Derita.
Meanwhile people grew to dislike the Empress, claiming she wash for to serve as consort and was infertile. This reverse spike, drop, in the King-Emperor and his wife's popularity was an unsettling one that worried them both. Posters and cartoons made fun at the Imperial Couple as hard, cold and unloving to one another. Some said that Christopher simply had no desire for sex whilst others said he had no desire for anything at all besides politics.
In the 2020's, the two's relationship was at its worst, supposedly Christopher had an affair and a daughter was born. The idea that the King-Emperor has an illegitimate daughter however is unlikely. No monarch has had illegitimate children since Jean-Astante III. And no Royal has had illegitimate children since Allan, the Duke of Berry in 1821 and 1822.
Tsar Consort
During the late part of the 2020's and the early 2030's, Christopher cemented his place as consort, and then co-ruler of Russlande. In 2026 Christopher temporarily moved to Saint Petersburg and advised his wife on different political policies. While Alara was happy and even opened to her husband's advise and guidance, her Duma, most nobles or the really rich who are the Parliament of Russlande, disliked Christopher. They found him too eager to help. Christopher was seen as too young and having have power for too short of a time to actually understand politics. While Christopher had ruled for six years, his wife had ruled for 12 years, twice as long as him.
Anastasia's flight
However, Christopher did gain friends. The most notable in Russlande is Princess Anastasia. The then Princess was young and pretty and they quickly grew into a father daughter type relationship. Christopher's wife even official adopted her.
Anastasia was a princess by birth and heir to the throne of Russlande. She is the cousin of Alara-Elizabeth, and mother of many notable royals today. Princess Anastasia had by pure chance been saved from death during the Regicide of Saint Petersburghe and because of this feared her cousin and adoptive mother.
However, she loved Christopher, having said in 2027, 2034 and 2041 that he was "The best man I shall ever know. Kind. Gentle. Intelligent and a wonderful father to me."
However while Anastasia and Christopher enjoyed each other's company, they were on opposite sides of the spectrum, Anastasia hated his wife then as a young child and in the winter of 2026/27, she fled the palace and the country.
In in the opening days of 2028, the missing Princess was found. In Liege, Christopher, who rules that area to this day, and the Russlandain Imperial Guard found the Princess, and she was returned to Saint Petersburgh.
The Polish Purchase
Back in Saint Petersburg, Christopher and Alara-Elisabeth used propaganda to shush the incident of the missing Princess.
When it was decided that the heir to the Russlandian throne should marry a foreigner, Christopher attempted to find a husband from the then small gene pool of Volonte royals. Instead she was to marry John Edenne, a politician and ruler of his own petit country.
The couple was married in Saint Petersburg and Christopher, filling awful about his part played in the capture of Anastasia in Liege, bought the land of Poland from the crumbling nation of Polish-Lithuania and formed a reformed Kingdom of Poland and have it to Anastasia to be in charge of.
Marriage
Christopher and Alara-Elisabeth were married twice in 2015 and 2016. This marriage was whilst Christopher was still Crown Prince of Derita. The marriage was strongly backed by his father, and strongly protested by Christopher's sister and cousin. Once marrying the Tsarina of Russlande, Christopher became her consort. This shift in power from position of dominance to a lowly consort caused strife in the marriage. Christopher and Alara were however kept together by his father, spending their time touring around the world.
When Christopher succeeded his father as the new King-Emperor in 2021, their relationship stabilized and calmed down. However the two seem to drift away as their was the pressing issue of the lack of children created by the couple whilst his sister already had two children with her own husband. In 2028, the King-Emperor and the Empress were on the brink of divorce, though after a vacation in the south of Derita.
But their marriage still seemed to be pointless without children. As Alara-Elisabeth neared closer and closer to the dreaded age of 40, people attacked her in political cartoons and posters. Alara-Elisabeth was blamed and called barren. This caused her to fall into a deep depression until 2034 when he became pregnant.
Current Relationship
The now much older couple admit that they love each other far much more than they did when they first meet, enjoying their time with their grandchildren and their family in their nations. They are currently the most powerful couple in the world being the most powerful man and most powerful woman.
Children
Reign (2035-2046)
In 2035, 14 years after he had already become King-Emperor of Derita, he fulfilled his duty and a heir, a son was born in April. Having just celebrated his 42nd birthday, Christopher II was nervous about the birth of a child so late in life. In 2032 it had seemed that he and his wife would never have children and that his nephew, Prince William would eventually succeed him as ruler of Derita as William IV. That was not the case
Fatherhood
In the summer of 2034, Alara-Élisabeth became miraculously became pregnant at the age of 39 years old. This both horrifed and delighted the couple. On one hand there was great excitement over the birth of an heir of a child of their own. But what terrified them was the fact that since they were nearly in their forties that the child might be ill. This fear of imperfection was something that nagged constantly at them. Christopher II, who had been previously nervous at the idea of his nephew succeeding him now suddenly seem to mine.
In early 2035 as the due date came closer and closer for the child to be born Christopher and Alara-Élisabeth began to pray, going to separate church's as Alara-Élisabeth would only go to Orthodox Church and Christopher only went to Mosques. Then finally the Empress went into labor. The child was born and was healthy, and most importantly a healthy boy. Christopher named the child André after the child's Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Uncle, King André IV.
With this, Christopher's popularity soared and skyrocketed. As did his wife's. Alara-Élisabeth was no longer called barren and now their child was called a Miracle Prince.
However the new father and mother were not naïve to parenting, they had after all adopted four children from Alara-Élisabeth's cousin, Queen Anastasia of Poland who were by now 7, 6 and 1 years old. In their eyes, Andre was both their eldest and their fifth child.
Foreign Affairs
Now started the baby making of the 2030's and the 2040's. Christopher used his children almost as popularity ponds. He eventually had five children with Alara-Élisabeth and adopted all of Anastasia's children. As his popularity soared more and more, Christopher was able to conceive the people to follow him almost blindly. He was able to meddle in international affairs and keep the peace, especially when dealing with his old headaches of Genes and Espana.
By the time his second daughter was born in 2039, Christopher II had a hegemony in Europe from Portugal to St.Petersburghe save Rhine-East Berlin and Polonge. By this point, he had reigned for 18 years. He was 46 years old.
Silver Jubilee
In 2046, three years after the birth of his last son, Christopher II celebrated his Silver Jubliee, the 25th Anniversary of him becoming King-Emperor, in Port Victoria. Due to the shortness of his father's reign, 1999-2021 (22 years), Christopher II's father had not celebrated a Silver Jubliee, and so the last time one happened was in 1928, 118 years ago at the time during the reign of Christopher's grandfather. Because of this, the Silver Jubliee of 2046 celebrated not just the King-Emperor, but in fact more so his father and grandfather.
Ruby Reign (2046-2068)
Following his Silver Jubilee, Christopher II entered his so called Jade and Ruby years the time between the silver jubilee and golden jubilee , eventually grouped as his Ruby Regin. The early years of Christopher II's Ruby Reign saw the rise of the so called, Anglo Lion, in which Great Hyruke rose as becoming the dominate power in the world. Christopher II himself had tutored Queen Caroline of Great Hyruke and had sparked the series of events that nearly removed Derita from the greatest position in power.
Shortly before his Silver Jubilee, Christopher II and Caroline of Great Hyruke orchestrated a plot to help advance Caroline in the world stage. Do to the youth of his own children, Crown Prince André was only 11, many can believe that Christopher II was attempting to test drive how teaching the younger generation about politics. However, people caught wind of the ambitious plans of Queen Caroline and soon she was at war. The first was the Greek War were Caroline was completely outnumbered and surrounded, but do to spies, learned the plans of the Balkan Coalition that wanted Hyrukians out of Greece. Christopher II however, his hands tied as he had to support the Balkan Coalition, invited Caroline to Instaneau and immediately put her under arrest.
Caroline however was still relatively able to command her troops from prison, as she was given very loose restraints and setting, getting an apart in a fortress to herself. Christopher II however eventually convinced the imprisoned Queen to surrender the Kingdom of Greece. While the Treaty of Athens of 2046 was being signed, Christopher II went o Charles II of Espana and convinced him to get the most amount of Greek land as possible. While King Charles II did succeed in that, there was still much of Greece that was lost and this cause the country to be divided up and would remain a serious problem for the next 20 years.
As soon as the Treaty of Athens was signed, Caroline of Great Hyruke went home to Londres and Christopher II demanded that Charles II abdicate his throne to the rightful Queen of Espana, Caroline. In the end, Christopher II helped Caroline triple the size of her empire and then suddenly it was a threat to his own.
Christopher II quickly went to make sure that Great Hyruke and it's young successful queen was were allies with himself. This was difficult as the Queen of Great Hyruke, angry at Alara-Elizabeth for her actions during the Greek War started the Anglo-Russian War. Christopher II tried to mediate the war, though it continued for years. In 2049 the Charmont Treaty was signed, bringing the two countries, Derita and Great Hyruke into a stronger alliance. In 2050 the Anglo-Russian War ended and Christopher II oversaw the Treaty of Narki-Tampere.
Great Northern War
However, just as things were calming in Finland and Sweden between Hyruke and Russlande, tensions flared between Rhine-East Berlin and Russlande. Christopher's friend, Edward IV, an old enemy of Russlande ever since the Merllieux War 30 years earlier invaded Poland, which Christopher saw as a client state of both Derita and Russlande. Christopher II reluctantly decided to join the fighting, sparking a massive conflict in Northern Europe known as the Great Nirthern War. Christopher II was strongly against war while most of the public in Derita, while not eager for war, say the military genius of the King-Emperor as the only way to quickly end the blood shed.
In 2051, the King-Emperor took to the front lines and personally lead the Amperiale Army as he had in the War of Spanish Succession. Christopher and his Army cut across Switzerland and the Alps into Western Polonge, practicing what he coined the Alpine Mercy, launching extremely small and fast attacks that gave the Polongian forces the choice between surrender or annihilation. This worked extremely well and the Polongian forces rapidly began to surrender and/or retreating. Christopher II and his army went after the Polongains, pushing them back to Innsbruck and then to Vienna in a matter of a week. Christopher occupied the city of Vienna and invited his daughter, Princess Natalie of Poland to visit him from Algiers. The King-Emperor and his daughter were given a tour of the city during the occupation and treated as welcome guests. The Princess was sent back to Algiers and Christopher pressed the enemy East once again.
Christopher laid siege to capital city of Budapest and after three days, Empress Josephine, his niece, surrender and withdrew Polonge from the war. Christopher turned his army back northwest to Derita.
Following his success in Polonge, Rhine-East Berlin became the only major enemy force for Christopher II. Edward IV ordered an invasion of the Kingdom of Saxony and Christopher responded with a counter invasion so that he could liberate the smaller Kingdom. He lead his army across Germy and fought and won two major battles, overwhelmingly crushing the Prussian Army. The King-Emperor then ended the occupation of Saxony and moved north, taking the city of Berlin under his control.
In 2052 Queen Caroline send armies from Great Hyruke to invade and aid the King-Emperor. Kaiser Edward IV was finally cornered on all sides and surrendered to the King-Emperor outside of Berlin. As the war ended, Christopher II went on to make some napoleonic changes to Europe, forcing the King of Saxony, Frederick Augustus III to abdicate. Because the old king had no sons to pass the thrown onto, Christopher over saw a royal election to select a new King. The third son of Queen Adela of Genes, Prince Waxwilliam, was selected and appointed King of Saxony, taking the regal name of Frederick Augustus IV. Christopher then ordered that Edward IV, deemed to old, entrenched and reckless in his governing of the Prussian Empire; to abdicate his throne. He was to be replaced by his son, Taylor III.
Christopher II following this, took to withdrawing himself and Derita from the world o foreign politics. In 2053 Christopher and Alana-Elizabeth saw their eldest daughter placed onto the throne of Finland and in 2054 Christopher placed Louis-Antoine II, Duc d'Angoulême in charge of the Deritain Protection of Madrid when Espana well into civil war.
Spanish Campaign
In 2055 the King-Emperor was blessed with his first grandchild, Nicholas. The King-Emperor was 62 years old. Nicholas was the first son of his eldest daughter, the lovely and charming Anna Victoria, Queen of Finland. Celebrations were held as it was the first grandchild of a ruling emperor in over six decades. Nicholas was made second-in-line to the throne after his uncle, Crown Prince André. Later in 2056, his daughter, Alice (who was then the Queen of the Carolinas) gave birth to a son, Karl Ferdinand. The King-Emperor and his wife doted on the little children heavily and had their daughters and grandsons moved to Fontainebleau for them to see. Seeing the success of the marriages of the two eldest princesses, attention was sent towards that of the Crown Prince, now 21 and unmarried
21 had been the age that Christopher him had started in searching for a bride and was seen in Derita as the natural time for a man to leave childhood behind and search for a wife and begin a career. The King-Emperor, copying that of his father before him, quickly looked to marrying his son to the most eligible woman of the highest possible standing, stating "My Prince shall marry only a Queen". This however cause strife when father and son as André had a girlfriend ,Ki Damour-Poitersi. Lady Damour-Poiters however was considered unacceptable and André was ordered to terminate the relationship. The Crown Prince refused to do so and tension built up between the two.
The King-Emperor's personal attention to his children and their children was put on hold however as a crisis emerged in the south in Espana. Prime Minister Dante Pantellria has invaded Portugal and imprisoned King Carlos II of Espana. Christopher was furious at the bold action by the upstart prime minister and quickly ordered an intervention force. André immediately demanded that he be allowed to lead the expenditionary forces into Espana. The King-Emperor was hesitant to send in his heir into an active military conflict, but was reminded of his wife at his own excursions into military fronts. The King-Emperor finally allowed for André to lead the so called, Spanish Campaign.
André proved to be extremely effective, with the help of Lady Damour-Poiters and his cousin, Louis-Antoine II, Duke of Angoulême was able to bring the conflict to a swift in within just a week. The King-Emperor was able to further impower King Carlos II and have a former hold on Espana. In Fontainebleau, the King-Emperor threw a lavish celebration of the event honoring his son. Here he was introduced to Princess Marié Thérèsa, daughter of the late Niccolò I, King of Venise who had been assassinated in 2053 and his kingdom stolen from his family. The exiled princess had been living in the court of Adela, Queen of Genes before arriving at Fontainebleau.
The King-Emperor, following his only a queen rule, dismissed the princess as a potentially match for his son. Marié Thérèrsa’s Mother, Queen Dowager Antoinette was an ambitious woman however and informed the King-Emperor of a promise that the childless Queen Juliana of Naples has made to her. The Queen of Naples intended to leave her kingdom to Marié Thérèsa. The King-Emperor became interested, but refused to allow so much as an engagement until a crown actually sat on her head.
In early 2057, Queen Juliana died and Marié Thérèsa became Queen of Naples. She and André were then quickly married. In 2058, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Derita had their first child, Prince André, Duke of Normandy.
Constitution of 2059
Much happened in 2059, the Year of Revolutions as uprisings and coups spread across countries following the extraordinary events in Scotland following Queen Anne’s death there.,
Clármont Rohan, the newly appointed Secretary of His Imperial Majesty, the King-Emperor has called the Imperial Court to meet in Vanessa. The 38 year old Mon. Rohan declared that “the heart of Derita is shaken to its very core.”
Earlier today, Mon. Rohan was at his office in the Palais du Versailles when he was meet with Charles I, Duc d'Orléanres and his second daughter, Marie Claude. The 105 year old Duc and the 85 year old Claude were discussing the sudden dark corruption that has been found in the Imperial Court. The elderly Duc d'Orléanres was making outrageous demand stated Mon. Rohan later on. When Mon. Rohan refused to believe such allegations about corruption with in the Imperial Court, he pointed out to The Duc d'Orléanres that the Court of Orléanres is far more corrupt and immoral and that their family has long been apart of coup attempts and schemes against the Volonté Dynasty. The Duc, seeing he would not get his way threaten to blackmail Mon. Rohan and dissolve the Imperial Court and even threaten to over throw the government with foreign supporters.
It was at that moment that a gunshot rang out and the office window of Mon. Rohan shattered. The Duc d'Orléanres slumped in his chair as a bloody red spot bloom over his heart. The Duc's daughter, a princess of the Royal House of Orléanres screamed and stood up attempting to run with her cane, but she was shot twice and killed as well.
The assassination of the two of eldest members of the Orléanres Family shocked the nation. Shortly afterwards, when it was learned that the Orléanres family elders had fallen victim to assassination, the people of Orléans revolted and an organized group of gentlemen have locked themselves in the Hôtel de Lssyaines and demanded that old regime be sweep aside and a new Constitution drafted.
Mon. Rohan quickly reported to Fontainebleau, but with the King-Emperor and the Imperial Family away, Lord Clementeau was left in charge. At the persuasive tone of Clármont Rohan, the old Lord has given the powers of Régent to Monsieur Rohan who now meets with the Imperial Court.
This has caused a panic as it is widely believe that with the greats many emergency powers that where given to him as temporary Régent, Clármont Rohan planned to declare Derita a Republic. This did in fact happen and Rohan made himself President of Derita.
Meanwhile the Imperial Family was visiting Johannesburg in southern Derita. Accompanying the Imperial Family was Dowager Duchess of Havré and Gabriela, Countess of Funtemont, members of the Orléanres Royal House hold. A group of three men, hearing of the current crisis in Vanessa and Orléans took matters into their own hands. Two men surged into the parade running at the walking Duchess of Havré, whilst a third fired a gun at the Countess of Foutemont. Two bullets hit her in the chest and she died instantly. One of the mad men who were attacking the Duchess of Havré was tackled and quickly subdued, by the other dodged and attempted to stab her, yelling
"Down with the House of Orléanres!"
In seer luck, the King of Romania, 16 year old Ferdinand II saw the craziness and jumping out of the slow moving carriage jumped in front of the dowager duchess. The madman, recognizing the King, attempted to pull back the knife, but it was too late and he was stabbed in the stomach. A scream was let out from the crowd as the gallant teenage King of Romania fell to the ground, covered in blood.
His Imperial Majesty, the King-Emperor attempted to climb out of his carriage but was stopped as a fight began between Orléanist guards and people carrying anti-Orléanist views. The three carriages carrying the Imperial Family were soon away from the scene. The Duchess of Havré meanwhile dropped to her knees and checked over the King of Romania. Her would be assassin busted into tears and stabbed himself. The King-Emperor's Imperial Guard rushed forward and safely transported the Duchess and the King to a hospital on the away from the fighting.
With in fifteen minutes however, the Johannesburg Police had broken up the fight, no one had been seriously injured. Three bodies were found, the Countess of Foutemont, the knife man and the gunman, who had apparently been tramped by the panicked crowd.
King-Emperor Christopher II of Derita then demanded that the attacks against the Royal House of Orléanres cease and that that the Amperiale Police find any attackers or assassins. Ferdinand II of Romania would luckily recover from the incident. However this only cause more chaos back home. Rohan proceeded to establish himself as the legitimate head of Derita, though he held very little of the actual empire under his control, he held the very important cities of Vanessa and Grenelefe. Rohan ordered peacekeepers into the chaotic instability of Portugal and sent in forces to overthrow the Queen of Greece, forcing her to abdicate on March 3rd.
The King-Emperor, on March 4th, arrived in the port city of Port Victoria with a massive parade. With the recovery of his youngest son, King Ferdinand II of Romania from his incident in South Africa, the King-Emperor decided to return to the main part of Derita. He and his family had taken a train that took them from the Cape to Cairo and then another to Alexanderia. With the arrival of His Imperial Majesty in the port city with such great happiness and delight, people begun to believe that the rumors of a coup d'etat in Vanessa is just a rumor.
On March 5, 2059, Rohan, convinces by Auguste of Prussia, surrendered graciously to the King-Emperor and swore undying loyalty to him. The King-Emperor was naturally furious with Rohan and seriously considered having him imprisoned or executed, but instead decided against it. He had no wish to maytr Rohan. He also felt that it was his duty to rule as the people wished, seeing that as the meaning of democracy rather than actual republican forms of government. He pardoned Rohan and officially changed the constitution to great the office of Prime Minister, with Rohan has its inaugural holder and permanently establish the Parlément.
Stellar Expansion
In 2066 and 2067, as the Duke of Maine’s primership was nearing its end, Christopher II moved to regain near absolute power over the government and his empire. Selecting his close friend, Magnus Variés as Maine’s successor, they worked together on a platform of the return of the glory days of the empire. Christopher II created the Amperiale Stellar Forces and commissioned the construction of various starships, the first to be completed being the Suprématie in March, just three days before Variés took office.
While colonization and exploration efforts had started earlier, most had been half hearted and regarded as novelties. However, by 2068 Cristofanu became the first fully functional colony of Derita and Christopher II declared Derita, the Celestial Empire.
Golden Jubilee
In 2071, May 14 was a of National and international celebration as the world celebrated the Golden Jubliee of King-Emperor Christopher II, his 50th Anniversary since ascending the Throne of Derita. Christopher II became only the second Emperor to have and celebrate a Golden Jubliee, the previous and only other one was held for his grandfather in 1959, nearly 112 years before. (Emperor's Allan I and Antoine I had they not abdicated would have had their Golden Jubliees in 1910 and 1949 respectively) Christopher II was also the first Emperor to have three generations of royals at a Golden Jubliee. Not only was this a great day for the King-Emperor, but his wife as well. Tsarina Alara, also Empress of Derita, (who celebrated her own Golden Jubliee in Russlande six years ago) is the longest serving Imperial Consort in the History of Derita, celebrating 50 years as Empress consort. The previous holder of this title was the King-Emperor's grandmother, Queen Victoria who was Empress for 45 years between her marriage to Almahn the Great in 1954 and his death in 1999.
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A rare honour was given to five people, Louis and Michelle Capella, Devonté Fishour, Stefanie Marshon and Lady Delvany Marton. Louis and Michelle Capella are 117 and 112 respectively and have been married for the last 85 years since 1986. Devonté Fishour is a former accountant and teacher who is 116 years old. Stefanie Marshon is former actress who is 113 years and Lady Delvany Marton is the widow of Viscount Louis Andrésy I and mother of former State-President Viscount Andrésy and is an impressive 126 years old. They are the last living former subjects of Almahn the Great to be alive at the time of his Golden Jubliee and Lady Marton is the current oldest Deritain citizen. They were awarded the Emperor's Achievement Medal. Historically the medal has been given to the first and last subject of an Emperor and the last living subject of an emperor.
The first EAM was given to baby boy Earon Theabeau in 1860 as the first recorded birth in the reign of Emperor Allan I. Mr. Theabeau later lived to be the last living subject of that reign and was awarded it in 1961. Archibald Andrésy, distant cousin of the Viscount Andrésy was awarded the metal as the first born baby in Antoine I's reign and narrowly missed winning the last living subject of his reign in 1977 when he died. It was later awared to Sebastian Cavrey in 1978. Daveed Koef was the first born baby in Kenyatta I's reign and Beau MacCharwin was the last born. Bettie Marlaney was the last living subject of Kenyatta I's reign and was awarded this in 2020 shortly before her death. Jessamine Cessant was the first born baby in Almahn the Great's reign and the first girl to receive the award. Jessamine' great-grandson Jessie Moneau was awarded the EAM as the last born child in Emperor Almahn I's reign, which Jessamine lived to see, dying in 2004. Marianne Hestchat was the first born baby in the King-Emperor's reign and Charlotte Ralphon was the last born baby. Charlotte's twin brother Christopher Ralphon was the first born baby in the King-Emperor's reign and is the oldest person alive (or dead) to have been born in the current reign, celebrating his 50th birthday today with his children and grandson, born today and named Christopher Ralphon II. The Ralphons and Moneaus were also honoured guests at the celebrations today.
Awards were also given to the Vau, Affré and Moreau families for their construction of the Affré Tour and the King-Emperor's Bridge and Golden Jubliee Avenue and Boulevard and the Jubliee Gardens and the King-Emperor's squared and the Jubliant Palais all here in Vanessa. The tower, bridge and palace are the three most expensive projects undergone in Derita in the last 150 years. Only the additions to the Palais du Fontainebleau Chateau Nobillé in 1920's are more expensive.
The day was incredibly jam packed with events and occasions.
At 12:00 in the morning, Fireworks went off across the de jure capital in Port Victoria as well as Aiguandre and Grenelefe, massive parties were held in coffee houses, ducal houses, clubs and parks, lighting the night sky. As Far East as Deritain held Beijing and the Celeste Empire's Pacific Islands and as far west as Port Pontenalle celebrates were held with fireworks, cannons and even massive battleships sounding off fifty times in the massive honour of witnessing the King-Emperor's Golden Jubliee. At 12:01 am, the recently awoken King-Emperor (he had been asleep until 11:51 pm) signed into law legalising alcohol across the Celestial Empire until 11:59 pm tonight for the first time in 203 years. He also legalised alcohol permanently in the city limits of Vanessa, Grenelefe and Aiguande. He also legalised the usage of marijuana in the city of Vanessa (it previously only legal in Grenelefe) and then declared that day at 12:06 am a national holiday and a day of thanksgiving, as well as give people a 50% tax break for the next week. Then, most shockingly, the King-Emperor opened all of Derita to everyone for the next eight months. The country, save Vanessa, Grenelefe, Aiguande, Instaneau, and Port Pontenalle, having been closed to all Foreign unless given special permission from the Crown, has been flooded with tourist in the past hours, an estimated 23.4 million people having arrived in the country just today.
The King-Emperor finally legalised gambling in the cities of Grenelefe and Vanessa and Aranou. He then proceeded to lead the Imperial Court in a three hour session of his favourite physical activity, yoga. At 3:00 am, the King-Emperor and the Tsarina, along with the Crown Prince and Crown Princess and the young Duc d'Normandy were presented with gifts by each of the 5000 leading members of the Lower Nobility and the 1000 members of the Noire Nobility as well as gifts from some 15,000 members of the noble class not present at Fontainebleau.
At 5:00 am, the Imperial Court was served a three course Breakfast prepared by the finest chiefs in the world, Deritains Elaea Shainsean, Jacques Monteff and Abdullah Ashiwan. At 5:31 am, the King-Emperor, Crown Prince, King of Romania, Duc d'Angoulême and Prince Antoine of Hollande went horseback riding with Duchess Josefina of Milan and Empress Charlotte of Connuriste along with two dozen other lower nobles around the grounds of Fontainebleau. Meanwhile the Tsarina and her daughters Queen Ava of Finland and Queen Alice of Saxony along with other notable women such as Queen Adela, Queen Mother Auguste, Queen Caroline, Empress Anna Charlotte, Queen Marie of Portugal, Empress Joséphine, Queen Amelia of Greece, Queen Elisabeth of Romania, Queen Michelle of Ruritaina, Queen Juliana of Bavaria, Queen Sophia of Poland, former Queen Mary of Scots, the Dowager Empress of East Derita, the Mother Empress of Derita, Empress Alice of East Derita, Queen Thérèsa, Queen Katherine Ana, Tsarina Anna and Elizabeth Percy, Angelette Blier-Labonté, Lady Rohan, Penelope Chambers, Lady Variés and more including a few gentlemen such as Emperor Connor II and George Asbury and Prince Philippe of Genes had tea on the fine lawn and gardens of Fontainebleau.
At 6:15 the King-Emperor retired from horse back and lead follow emperors Étienne Stephan, Connor II, Faolan,and Frederich Wilhelm V to his private library while the Crown Prince, Duc d'Angoulême and Empress Charlotte lead a hunt for a stag. At 7:00 the hunt caught the stag, the Duc d'Angoulême delivering the killing blow and the Imperial Court and the foreign guests and royals, including Shah Faolan, King Henrique II, King Louis II, King Frederick Augustus IV, King Paul and his new boyfriend, Zachariah Amorbeau and more, attended an Opera in Vanessa travelling in motorcade from the countryside around Fontainebleau to the city.
Performing the opera written by Charles Clermontay, Apollo and the Golden Throne, the musical was a thinly veiled allegory of the King-Emperor's own great and glorious reign over the last fifty years.
Following this, at 9:00, the King-Emperor'a entourage paraded through the city across the river to the Artiste District were they had a brunch at the Zendallah Square amidst the common people, artists, musicians, actors, mimes and poets, as well as tourists and immigrants. Here the King-Emperor meet with several enlighten gentlemen such as Alexander Hamolten, Gen. Jans Lorens, Tomas Vanderson, J.J. Mayedson, Samuel Grís, Jacques Fonce, Madame Paiselles and Ariana Regiss. Here they could be heard discussing politics and social reform and the independence of humans from earthly bonds. The King-Emperor shared coffee with famed artist Suzanne Zenbeau, along will Dolle Aganamont and Zen Gles. Next the Tsarina and the Crown Princess and Queens Ava and Alice and Duchess Josefina travelled to see the great mosaic baths of Bastallaar, the Crown Prince and the Duc d'Angoulême were spotted traversing the bazaar of Saint Louis and visiting the Gigivatore Glass Art Museum. The King and Queen of Romania even separated from the group and romantically trolled hand and hand down the wealthy tree and statue lined Saint Michael Avenue.
At 9:30 the group meet up at the Princess Vanessa Royal Gardens, Botanical Gardens named after Saint Vanessa, Crown Princess, eldest daughter and heir of Emperor Antoine I before her untimely death in 1899, which is were the city gets its name. Here the entourage toured the gardens and entered the famous butterfly gardens. Here the King-Emperor was seen speaking quietly with Empress Charlotte, Josiah Wayland and Prime Minister Reyes of Scotland.
At 10:00 am the entourage left the gardens and crossed North Bridge, visiting the famous restaurant Ponte and made their way to the Royal Art Museum, recently renamed the Grande Artiste Palais Royale, the largest art museum in the world, here millions flooded the building, orbiting around the famous painting, the Lady Monaislla and the Glass Pyramid of Inéz-Pierre Monetquaez. Here, Christina Peroesinne revealed her massive portrait of the King-Emperor. Here Lord and Lady Ardales hosted, Lord Ardales having the largest private art collection in Derita.
At 10:25 the entourage arrived at the Norte Reine Cathedral, an iconic feature of the Vanessa skyline were an time of pray was held. They then left the Norte Reine and travel via royal barge in the largest boat parade in the history of Vanessa with more that 500 boats in the river, including two model battle ships and a recreation of the eighteenth century battleship, the Impératrice. The water parade continued westwards down river to the Replica Statue of Aurora, the 176ft tall statue and pedestal which is only a third the size of the Statue of Aurora in Port Victoria which celebrates the King-Emperor's great-grandmother who ruled the country as regent from 1903 to 1909 and was a constant advisor to the Emperor until her death in 1976. They toured the small island the statue sits on in the middle of the river. At 11:28 the entourage crossed the river onto the South Bank and visited the shopping centre of Vanessa, attending a fashion show in which models Alican Devereaux, Afia Hauseel, Ida Kasanu-Flesre participate, as well as international models such as Elizabeth Percy and Angelette Blier-Labonté and Wilhelmina Drolburg. The King-Emperor was amazed by the beauty styles of Cháreau, Comptiere, Cartier and Vérany and Percy, Naodna and Deapuote. Madame Vérany herself collaborated with Elizabeth Percy and Comptiere to design and create a new wardrobe for the King-Emperor, presenting it to him after the show. He wore the impressive all black uniform the rest of the day.
At noon, the parade made its way to the Place de la Celeste Empire where the King-Emperor meet with Charles Sardou II, Magnus Variés Sr. and Jr. and Omar Rapasha, as well as several foreigners such as former presidents Mauléart and Argamonte, and Consul Vangressa and his wife, Angelique de Mauléart, as well as First Lady Swanner, President Boris, Chancellor Walsh and Lin Qiang and Wu Li Zezinho from Arranca. Lunch was held at Chateau Deferry along the Canal Yves.
While the group had lunch here, the King-Emperor & Tsarina, former Empress Alanna & Emperor Francis II, former Kaiser Edward IV & Queen Christina, Queen Adela and her companion the elderly Comte d'Rapallo left the main festivities for a private leisure walk. Joining them was Shah Faolan and Shahbanu Fariahnaz and Princess Aura and Prince Napoleon. This group of 70-79 year old royals are said to have chatted and talked casually with one another in the Manpaisse et Elystra Gardens.
With the King-Emperor away, Crown Prince André took charge of the events and the entourage made their way through the lavish Galleries du E'aeaniels and the Galleries du Montayette after the half-Deritain "Hero of Three Revolutions" having help revolutions in Asia, Europe and South America. Next the Crown Prince lead the group to the Museums of Science and of Music. At the later Lady Rohan performed a concert before the crowd. The Crown Prince, his wife, Empress Charlotte, Emperor Connor II and the Duc d'Angoulême also attended a brief private concert. At 1:00 the left from there, the entourage head back south to the L'Quirante Opera House.
Here yet another musical was put on for the audience, this time starring Noé Rousselle, Cyril Barthélemy, Marius Jean-Noël De Villepin and Aurelia Chereau. The musical, named Chérdantrois Life is about the life of the fictional beautiful Lady Célia Moitiœur (Rousselle) and Lord Héctor Moitiœur (Barthélemy) and the dashing Amadou Abeau, Duke d'Vasury (De Villepin). The musical, using classical, pop and rap music tells of Célia's dilemma of loving and being love by both the Duc d'Vasury and Lord Moitiœur, her marriage to the later and her affair with the former. The musical takes a mostly satirical and comedic jab at the Empress of Connuriste, it however was emotionally serious in the the end of Act I. The climax of the first act is the arrival of Bettie, the Duchesse d'Vasury (played by famed singer Aurelia Chereau) who sings the song Patiently, detailing her waiting for her husband's love in a single song. The second act returns to its comedic roots as Célia blunders her way through life, destroying a priceless egg, offending the Tsarina, played by Russian actor Ivanov Plantoyv in drag, and the accident confession of her affair. Again the musical took a more serious turn as Célia falls into madness, Lord Moitiœur neglects his children and indulges with mistresses while the Duc and Duchesse d'Vasury finally fall in love. The musical ends with two songs by Aurelia Chereau, 'Patiently (Reprise)' where she finally triumphs with love and 'Love as Dangerous as the Sun' warning people about the graces of a spilt heart and all consuming passion.
While flowers were thrown at the stage as the curtain closed, several people threw nuts at Empress Charlotte on account of the similarities between her and the character Célia who descended into madness.
The King and Queen of Romania were said to have been moved by the musical and cried in one another's arms.
At 3:00, after the musical had ended, the parade zigzagged north to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Vanessa, the highest building in all of Vanessa located on L' Rosecoteau. Here the King-Emperor and the group of older royals who had separated earlier returned. They travelled down the Steps of Saint Christopher down to the Vanessa Branch of the Amperiale Police were Mother Empress Sara, Queen Christina and Queen Adela ceremonial presented the King-Emperor with the Black Crown and Conqueror Sword. Shortly afterwards there was a ballet, 'Goddess of a New Era' starring Elizabeth Percy that the Crown Prince and several other royals attended briefly before everyone reached the Arc de Triumph and Monument of the Conqueror, a massive arch over the Galleries du Conquête celebrating the reign of the King-Emperor's father, the ending of the Mervielleux War and the Amperiale Army of Derita in general. Here, the 85 year old Ali Blé presented the King-Emperor his resignation as General of the Armies after 52 years of service. The King-Emperor accepted and unsurprisingly promoted the Duc d'Angoulême as his replacement. Lord Blé was made the Duc d'Bléuyette. Under the Arc he knighted eight for extraordinary bravery, first the Duc d'Angoulême, Empress Charlotte, Queen Caroline, Empress Anna Charlotte, Magnus Varies Jr., Jean-Bapiste Ressort, Amand Chaisel and the Count de Montayette.
Following this solemn ceremony, the King-Emperor toon once again to the horse, flanked by the Duc d'Angoulême and the Duc d'Aumale and followed by the Crown Prince and Duc d'Normandy all on horse back, Duchess Josefina of Milan and Empress Charlotte were the only women on horseback as well, there were an added 570 horse riders from the army, each one representing a year that Derita has existed, leading the largest parade to travel through Vanessa since 2020 during the 80 day Tour. They travelled down from the Arc in a straight line down the brand new Jubilant Avenue down to the Amperiale Gates and Gardens with the 40ft tall black statues of the six Emperors of Derita, three on each side including the King-Emperor. (The King-Emperor's statue is slightly higher than the others at 40.5 feet high. Passing the statues and great golden pillars and ceremonial gates, the parade reached the King-Emperor's Bridge.
Here the Duc d'Normandy, grandson of the King-Emperor and second in line to the throne after his father the Crown Prince, was lead to the front of the parade and hand-in-hand with the young Queen Adelaide II of Scots. He two children, neither one a teenager were the first to walk across the brand new bridge, leading the parade across. An estimated 1.57 million people, 577 horses, 50 elephants, 25 camels and 25 oxen, all part of the parade along with 90,000 motor vehicles crossed. The bridge in an hour, causing the bridge to slightly shake, though Architect André le Vau assured folks this was normal given the situation. After crossing the bridge, the Imperial Family became the first to ride the glass elevator through the Affré Tour to the very top were it's golden roof shined. From here, the two dozen members of the King-Emperor's family (his sister, nephew and niece, children, in-laws and grandchildren) looked over the city until dark when the Affré Tour exploded with lights and colours, fireworks exploding over the city for the rest of the night continuously. Dinner was served to those below and at the top at 7:00 and a second meal at 8:00. After 8:00 the tower became open to the public and the Imperials descended to the ground.
Moving to the Grand Jubilant Palais, the King-Emperor gave a speech, saying
“We, all of us, are here standing at the beginning of a new era and the peak of greatness. In 50 years we have been made stronger, wiser and happier. We are in a time of unprecedented success, cultural beauty and acceptance and progress. Peace from here to the stars.”
The King-Emperor's Speech, a mere fifty words was followed by cheers and him giving out the Emperor's Achievement Awards out.
Then the crowd entered the Grand Jubilant Palais, the fourth largest palace in Derita and fifth largest in the world. At 9:00 a Golden Jubilee Ball was held in the blue glass dome topped ballroom attended by some 1,020 guests. In the spotlight at one point or another in the night, King-Emperor and Tsarina, the King and Queen of Romania, Henrique II and Anna Charlotte and Crown Prince André and Crown Princess Thérèsa waltzed together. The most romantic moment was when the room fell silent watching the King and Queen of Romania. The King disappeared outside for a bit, as did a certain other guest. Only moments later the King and Queen of Romania left the ball together to retire for the night.
Stealing the show however was the Duc d'Angoulême and the beautiful and charming Lady Amalia Qadir al-Mostafa, a granddaughter of Shah Faolan of Kaunu. The Duke, handsome and dashing in his blue military general's uniform (looking very much like a brother to the Crown Prince and King of Romania) and Lady al-Mostafa one of the most beautiful women in the entire Ball, challenging even Charlotte and Elizabeth Percy, Josefina of Milan and Queen Ava in her stunning beauty. Lady al-Mostafa, young, well dressed, naturally beautiful and charming quickly caught the eye of the crowd as she danced with the beloved Duke. Rumours have even begun to fly that she may be the woman to marry the most eligible bachelor in the world.
Later in the night the dancing grew so intense that Lady al-Mostafa fainted from heat and shortness of breath and only awoke in the arms of the beloved Duke after he had given her some water. Several other women fainted, including Lady Asbury, Lady Rohan and Lady Chaquis. Some blame the extensiveness of the day, most the attendants of the events in Vanessa were up for at least 22 hours. With constant moving and partying and gambling and admiring. The King-Emperor himself did not retire until 12:00, having been up for literally over 24 hours. The night continued to party on as at least eighteen different balls, 38 parties and 10 yacht parties and 8 airship parties along with continuous fireworks continued on for the next five hours