United Commonwealth General Worldbuilding

1852 United Commonwealth royal election | Predicica (www.predicica.com/event/1852-United-Commonwealth-royal-election)

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopædia Predicica

1852 United Commonwealth royal election


The election of the monarch of the United Commonwealth of Krawiterska was held on 28 May 1852. It was won by Prince Rodulf Bohuslæn-Loðbrók of Prydania. He was the first monarch of the United Commonwealth after it became a country in the previous year.

Background
On 11 November 1851, the Second Khastenian Republic signed the Treaty of Norvalle, granting independence to the United Commonwealth. The Provisional Council of State, led by Chairman Count Stefan Borowski, planned to finalize the drafts to establish "a Pan-Craviterian grand republic" that unites all nationalities in former Khastenian Eastern Craviter. Boyar Jaroslav Severov, Foreign Minister and the former Khastenian ambassador to Prydania, warned the council that any notion of a grand republic in Craviter might provoke memories of the recent Wars of the Callisean Republic. Severov argued that the threat of intervention from Maloria, Norsia, Prydania, and Syrixia had not abated, especially since the 1848 Khastenian Revolution and the execution of Tsar Alexei III and his family.

Borowski and many members of the Council of State were republicans. Boyar Severov and a minority of councilmen were monarchists. They debated on the merits of both sides, concluding that a monarchy, while not ideal, is "strategic" for the survival of the United Commonwealth. The majority in the Krawiterskan Parliament were also republicans, but the public has been divided on the issue. Many of the Khastenians in the United Commonwealth, including revolutionary war hero General Valerian Tatarinstev, supported independence from the Second Khastenian Republic believing that they were doing so in support of a Tsirkunov restoration.

Both Borowski and Boyar Severov opposed Tsirkunov restoration and any candidate from the surviving Khastenian royal dynasties. Despite centuries of Khastenian Pagan oppression, though divided between Courantists and Laurenists, the people of the United Commonwealth remained majority Messianist and the new monarchy should represent this.

A monarchy in the United Commonwealth was believed to allow the country to enjoy better relations with monarchy-dominated Collandris, Craviter, Gothis, Northern Meterra, and Auroria. The Council of State wanted to present the country as harmless and could co-exist with the Northern powers.

The 1852 UC referendum approved the Krawiterskan Parliament's proposed constitution formally establishing the country as a monarchy. A transitory provision authorized the Krawiterskan Parliament to offer the throne of the newly-formed country.

After the referendum, discussions were held with the monarchies of Collandris, Craviter, and Northern Meterra to find possible candidates for the proposed monarchy. Each monarchy in these continents was formally offered a nomination for the candidacy to the Krawiterskan throne. The Norsian, Sil Dorsettian, and Syrixian monarchies notably rejected the offer.

Criteria for the monarch
The Krawiterskan Parliament voted for the nominated candidates based on a criteria of five points. Announced by Count Stefan Borowski in a speech to the Chamber of Deputies, he clarified the criteria were a guide to narrow down and focus on a list of the most ideal candidates. Count Borowski based the criteria on suggestions by Boyar Jaroslav Severov:

1. A male
2. A Messianist
3. A democrat
4. His house is connected to multiple royal houses in Collandris, Craviter, Gothis, Northern Meterra, and or Auroria
5. He can speak Andrenske, Gojan, or Mercanti

Parties in the Krawiterskan Parliament and voting preferences

• Democratic Party of Courantists (PDK): Led by Chairman Count Stefan Borowski and represented the majority of the Council of State and the Krawiterskan Parliament. This faction advocated for a full parliamentary democracy under a ceremonial monarchy. They prioritized principles of democracy, equality, and representation over monarchical and sectarian rule, united under a secular federation. The majority of them were Courantists and preferred a candidate with the same religion. Many held Pro-Goyanean views. They had a majority of 148 seats in the 210-seat lower house Chamber of Deputies but only 27 supported them from the 100-seat upper house Senate. Their total number of seats in both houses was 175.
• Laurenist Commonwealth (RL): The leader, Boyar Jaroslav Severov, and a minority in the Council of State represented this pro-monarchy party. They believed that a strong monarchy could provide stability and strategic advantages for the survival of the country, especially in the face of enemy republics Callise and Khastenia. They viewed Andrenne, Maloria, Norsia, and Prydania as friends. This faction supported Laurenist candidates. They held 52 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and had 19 supporters in the Senate. Their total number of assembly seats was 71.
• The Tsirkunov Restorationist Movement (RRT): This party, led by Defense Minister General Valerian Tatarinstev, supported independence from Khastenia with the hope of restoring a Tsirkunov monarchy, viewing it as a way to preserve the United Commonwealth's Pagan Khastenian heritage. They also supported Maloria, Norsia, and Syrixia as "defenders of ancient Craviter." But Prydania's refusal to commit troops to stop the 1848 Revolution disappointed them. Although most members were upper-class elite that ruled Rump Krawiterska, their party was the most diverse, with both Szlavs and Gotics, Messianists and Pagans, apart from Khastenians. They supported the PDK's vision of a secular federation and liked RL's strong monarchy stance. They held 10 seats in the Chamber of Deputies but a majority of 54 senators supported them. Their total number of assembly seats was 64.

List of nominated candidates


Results

The transitory provision that authorized the Krawiterskan Parliament to offer the throne required that the election must be held in a joint sitting of both houses, with its members as the electors.


Votes by party


The Courantist Democrat Party favored candidates with evident democratic commitments, which included their origin country. Gunther, Prince of Kronach, a devout Courantist, was easily their top candidate. His country's transition to parliamentary constitutionalism was commended as a model for establishing a constitutional order in the United Commonwealth. Prince Rodulf, a Laurenist, was their second choice despite his religion. There were attempts in the party to cast doubts on Prydania's democratization. His opponents in the Krawiterskan Parliament pointed out his country's interventions against republican movements in Callise and Khastenia. Conservative and monarchist Courantist Democrats were attracted to Great Lord Leonardo, Grand Duke Viktor, and Grand Duke Andrei, but the latter candidate was viciously debated. Despite his criticism of Tsar Alexei III, he was still Khastenian and a pagan. Most of his initial supporters in the PDK conceded to vote for other candidates. Leonardo would have made an ideal alternative candidate if it were not for Prince René's endorsement. Sil Dorsett was an absolute monarchy under René's reign.

Grand Duke Viktor was the majority choice of Laurenist Commonwealth. He aligned perfectly with WL's ideals: He was a non-Courantist Messianist who held a strong monarchy stance. Prince Rodulf would have been their first choice. His Prydanian Laurenist background was overlooked due to Queen Alexandra's democratic reforms. Prince Kaysapa and Great Lord Leonardo were also seen as strong monarchy candidates but they were not serious alternatives. Grand Duke Andrei was not a favorable candidate for the same reasons PDK had.

The Restorationist Movement was divided between Grand Duke Andrei, a Tsirkunov, and Prince Kaysapa, who was endorsed by the Syrixian Empire. There was no debate in voting for a Tsirkunov, but many preferred a strong monarchy candidate who was not a reformist. The majority voted to support Andrei. In protest, reactionaries joined pro-Syrixians in voting for Kaysapa.

The Severoszlav Constitution Annotated (law.yuei.edu.sk/constitution-yuei)

Preamble text (Verbatim):

We, His Majesty the Krawiterskan King and People,

• Faithful to the principles of national unity, tradition, and revolutionary renewal,
• Guided by the spirit of syndicalism and corporatism, ensuring harmony between labor, capital, and the state;
• Drawing strength from the achievements of the Severoszlav Revolutions and the historic victories of Krawiterskan sovereignty;
• Rejecting the divisiveness of individualism, class conflict, and imperial interference, which weakened our unity in the past;
• Recognizing the corporate state as the foundation for national solidarity, moral regeneration, and collective prosperity;
• Honoring the ideals of the 1852 United Commonwealth Constitution and the First Severoszlav Constitution of 1932, while building upon them to meet the needs of the modern era;
• Committed to fostering a patriotic society where individual, group, and class interests are subordinate to the common good;
• Seeking to create a more perfect union to secure order, justice, and unity in the Severoszlav nation;
• United under the banner of faith, family, and work; and,
• Entrusted with the task of defending the gains of the revolution and laying the foundation for Endecja, a National Syndicalist society where every citizen, through their labor and role in society, contributes to the strength, elevation, and magnification of the nation; therefore,

His Majesty the Krawiterskan King and People shall advance toward a future where social, political, and economic power is harmoniously integrated, ensuring the stability and glory of the nation, the Severoszlav people, and the brother peoples, and form an everlasting Constitution for the protection of the rights and the territory of the United Commonwealth.

With the consent of the Krawiterskan King and People, the Krawiterskan Parliament decrees:

Chapter 1. The Krawiterskan King
1. The Krawiterskan King, as the head of state, is the international representative of the United Commonwealth. He can accredit and receive ambassadors. He can negotiate treaties and other international agreements but with the subsequent approval of the Krawiterskan Parliament.
2. The succession of the Krawiterskan King is male-preference primogeniture.
3. The Krawiterskan King shall take the following oath: "I solemnly swear to faithfully serve the people of the United Commonwealth, to strictly observe the Severoszlav Constitution, to guarantee the rights and freedoms of citizens, and to conscientiously fulfill the high responsibilities placed in me as Krawiterskan King."
4. The Krawiterskan King has the right to summon, to open, to prorogue, and to close both the Senate and the Congress of Workers' Councils of the Krawiterskan Parliament.
5. Unless specified otherwise by law, the Krawiterskan King appoints officials, causes them to be sworn for the United Commonwealth by using the oath in Section 3, and decrees their dismissal.
6. If a region, voivodeship, powiat, nahia, or any other province, its sub-division, or any other subdivision or territory of the United Commonwealth does not fulfill its constitutional or national duties, the Senate can decree to command them, and the Krawiterskan King will act to enforce it.

Chapter 2. The Krawiterskan Parliament
X. Both houses of the Krawiterskan Parliament must be summoned at least once each year. The Senate and the Congress of Workers' Councils can meet without the other.
X. The Senate will be summoned if two-thirds of its membership require it.
X. The presidency of the Senate shall belong to the Lawspeaker. He can be represented by any member of the Senate if he wishes it.

List of rulers of the United Commonwealth | Predicica (www.predicica.com/topic/List-of-Rulers-of-the-United-Commonwealth)

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopædia Predicica

List of rulers of the United Commonwealth

This is a list of the rulers of the United Commonwealth since 1852 when the first Krawiterskan King, Rudolf I, ascended to the throne.

Under the Krawiterskan Constitution, the monarch uses the title "Król Krawiterski" or "Craviterian King" (officially in Mercanti: Krawiterskan King, Aleman: Krawitersker König, Prydanian: Krawiterskur Konungur, Aydini: Krawiterçe Kralı).

The title reflects the Pan-Craviterian nationalism of the country. It was chosen as opposed to the initial proposal of "King of Craviter," which implied territorial claims to all of Craviter, or "King of the Craviterians," which implied the King's sovereignty over the people of Craviter.

Since 1852, there have been six Krawiterskan Kings.

Religion in the United Commonwealth | Predicica (www.predicica.com/topic/Religion-in-the-United-Commonwealth)

Religion in the United Commonwealth

Messianism is the largest religion in the United Commonwealth, but it is divided between the Courantist and Laurenist churches. Although Courantism represents the larger part of the Messianist community, it is only by slim margins due to historical conflicts over the leadership of the Messianist faith in the territory that now comprises the United Commonwealth. In an attempt to reconcile the two churches, the U.C. Constitution declares Messianism and "all of its confessions" as the official state religion. It also guarantees liberty to all religions and protections against persecution.

According to a 2022 poll conducted by the Central Statistical Office, 61% of the 93.6 million Krawiterskan people are Messianists, with 32.5% representing Courantists and 28.5% representing Laurenists. The Messianists are followed by Mehrabists with their followers comprising around 15% of the population. The third largest religious group is Zmeyism, the largest Pagan religion in the country, with 11.1% of the population. The other small religious groups, dominated by Shaddaism by 4.8%. Only 4.9% of the population identify as atheists.

A 2018 poll by the Centre for Public Opinion Research indicated that 10.6% of these religious groups, mostly Messianists, declared themselves as "agnostics" or "non-practitioners."

Statistics