Flandrensis

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The Grand Duchy Flandrensis was founded on September 4, 2008 and is a Belgian (Flemish) territorial micronation. Flandrensis is a sovereign and independent micronation and classifies itself as a 'new-nation project', not a ‘virtual nation’.

Contents 1 History 2 Antarctic claims 3 Legality of the Antarctic claims 4 Overseas Territory of Flandrensis 5 Government 5.1 Ministers 5.2 Parlement 6 Foreign Politics 7 Micronational Community 8 Military 8.1 F.N.A.F. 8.2 FSIS 8.3 Conflicts 9 Culture 9.1 Festivals 9.2 Sport 9.3 Language 10 National Holidays 11 Economy 11.1 Currency 11.2 Companies 11.3 Newspaper and Television 12 Links

History

The Grand Duchy of Flandrensis was founded on September 4, 2008 as a hobby-micronation, by a Belgian student, micronationally known as Niels I of Flandrensis. On November 22 the Grand Duke claimed Siple Island, making Flandrensis a territorial micronation, one of the few Belgian ones. The Grand Duchy of Flandrensis is inspired on the medieval County of Flanders. The name comes from Pagus Flandrensis, the first name of the County of Flanders in the 9th century.

Antarctic claims

Siple Island

• Location: 73°39'S, 125°12'W
• Date of claim: 22nd November 2008
• Region’s: Tarvannensis, Gandensis, Gothenberg, Bruggia, Giddis, Groot-Siple, Mount-Siple, Schreiburg and Noordermark.

Pranke Island

• Location: 73°14′S 124°55′W
• Date of claim: 5th December 2009

Maher Island

• Location: 72°58′S 126°22′W
• Date of claim: 5th December 2009

Cherry Island

• Location: 73°45′S 123°32′W
• Date of claim: 5th December 2009

Carney Island

• Location: 73°57′S 121°00′W
• Date of claim: 5th December 2009
• Region’s: Brabantia, Cortoriacum, Luvanium, Staen, Hagebroeck, Cringhe and Dixmuda.

Legality of the Antarctic claims

Grand Duke Niels I of Flandrensis claimed Siple Island on 22nd November 2008. Immediately after his claim he send letters to the most important nations of the Antarctic Treaty and also to a lot of others (Vatican, Monaco, Luxemburg, Togo, Gambia, …). On 5th December 2009 he claimed Maher Island, Pranke Island, Cherry Island and Carney Island. Two day’s later he wrote a two letters to the UN and the EU to informed then about his claim on these islands.

Overseas Territory of Flandrensis

• Duchy of Flauma
• Duchy of Saeftinghe
• Duchy of Snow Hill

Government

Ministers

• Prime Minister & Minister of Internal Affars: Viscount Hein of Giddis
• Minister of Foreign Affairs: Count Maarten of Mount-Siple, Prince of Arkel
• Minister of Defence: Marquis Jürgen of Bruggia
• Minister of Media & Communication: Count Donovan of Gandensis

Parlement

On 01 March 2010 the Senate was disbanded and replaced by a parliament. In the parliament are 14 politicians including many formal ministers and senators. The Chairman of Parliament is the current head of state, Grand Duke Niels I of Flandrensis.

Foreign Politics

Flandrensis maintains an open mind and is friendly, diplomatic and holds respect as a priority. Micronations can contact the Department of Foreign Affairs at the official forum or contact the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Count Maarten of Mount-Siple on foreignaffairs.flandrensis@gmail.com.

Important articles from the Constitution about foreign relations

• Art 14.2: When a nation offer diplomatic relations to Flandrensis, they must prove that they already exist three months and that they are not involved in a micronational war. After that the parliament of Flandrensis must vote about the recognition of this nation.
• Art. 14.3: If a micronation interfering in the internal affairs or government in Flandrensis, the Flandrensis parliament can take measures, or in worst case the withdrawal of recognition.
• Art. 14.5: Flandrensis don’t recognize nations who claims territory from already recognized nations by Flandrensis.
• Art. 14.6: Flandrensis is a neutral nation, no other nation can force Flandrensis to join a conflict.
• Art. 14.7: If Flandrensis discover that a recognized micronation violating human rights, than Flandrensis will immediately withdraw its recognition of that nation.
• Art. 14.8: If Flandrensis discover that a recognized micronation is guilty to the use of illegal internet activities (hacking and viruses), than Flandrensis will immediately withdraw its recognition of that nation.
• Art 14.10: Flandrensis only recognize Antarctic micronations who are member of the AMU.

Micronational Community

The Grand Duchy of Flandrensis is a member of:

• AMU: Antarctic Micronational Union
• UnitedMicroNations
• UAMW: Union Against Micronational War
• MCA: Micronational Co-operation Alliance

Military

F.N.A.F.

The Grand Duchy of Flandrensis has its own armed forces, known as the F.N.A.F. (Flandrensis National Armed Forces). The Chief of the F.N.A.F. is the Grand Duke of Flandrensis, followed by the Minister of Defence who is the Major-General.

FSIS

The Flandrensis Security Intelligence Service is an organisation that searches information on the internet and protects the safety of the Grand Duchy of Flandrensis. The Prime Minister is the head of the FSIS and apart from the Prime Minister and the Grand Duke, nobody knows who is involved in the FSIS.

Conflicts

• Siple War
• The Poaching Conflict

Culture

The Grand Duchy of Flandrensis follows the same culture as the Flemish people today. Following this thought, the Grand Duchy has chosen several monuments in Flanders that are important for the culture of Flandrensis. The Flanders' culture massively influenced the Grand Duchy.

Festivals

• Arbeidsfeesten (1-2-3 May, organized by Donovan of Gandensis)
• Medefeesten (19th September, organized by Brecht of Schreiburg)

Sport

Since 8th April 2009 the Grand Duchy of Flandrensis started with a national competition of Pocket Billiards (pool). Every fortnight on a Wednesday, the participants will play the competition in Roeselare (Belgium).

Language

The residence of the Government of Flandrensis is in Belgium. Belgium has three national languages: Dutch, French and German. Most of the citizens live in Flanders, the Dutch speaking part of Belgium. Therefore Flandrensis is a Dutch (and West-Flemish) speaking micronation. The Government recognizes English as diplomatic language.

National Holidays

Date	Name
1 January	New Year's Day
23 February	Birthday of the Grand Duke and the day of H. Polycarpus
1 May	Labour Day/ Arbeidsfeesten (Festival)
Varying	Easter
1st Monday after Easter	Easter Monday
6th Thursday after Easter	Ascension
7th Sunday after Easter	Pentecost
8th Monday after Easter	Pentecost Monday
15 August	Assumption of Mary
4 September	Independence Day
19 September	Medefeesten (Festival)
1 November	All Saints
22 November	Claim of Siple Island
5 December	Claim of Cherry, Carney, Maher and Pranke Island
25 December	Christmas

Economy

Currency

Baron F.R. Verkerk de Beauville, Grand Commander of the Order of Flandrensis, has created the Flandri. On the Flandri banknote stands the Belgian explorer Adrien de Gerlache and his ship ‘The Belgica’, and the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. 1 Flandri is equal to 1 Euro.

Companies

Newspaper and Television

• Flandrensis Nieuws (a Dutch newspaper of the company ‘Caravan Experience’)
• Flandrensis Times (an English newspaper)
• Gazet van Giddis (an informal Dutch newspaper)
• Black Sun Corporation (This company designed Videos about Flandrensis)
• AST (Television in Arkel, subsidized by the government of Flandrensis)

Links

• Dutch website
• Website of the Black Sun Corporation
• Page on MicroWiki