NationStates Jolt Archive

Part One: Background

Bonapartist Europe, once known as the Empire of Europe, is a relatively new nation on the international scene which follows the doctrines of enlightened absolutism best summarized as: "Everything for the people, nothing by the people." It has only existed for roughly two centuries but yet has already developed an intrinsic sense of culture and pride as well as for its unique system of Revolutionary Monarchism which was influenced by the French Revolution's emphasis on liberty and human rights. The capital of this nation is the city of Paris and the government pursues a strict policy of non-intervention in all religious matters with no government funding of any religion permitted by law. French is the language of government and is considered to be first among equals in an empire where all languages are treated as official languages. The House of Bonaparte is the ruling dynasty of the nation which treats itself as nothing more than a continuation of the First French Empire which began in 1804. Although many people use the Gregorian Calendar, the Empire considers the French Revolutionary Calendar to be the official calendar of the Empire. Bonapartist Europe also controls French Guiana, India, Madagascar and parts of Africa.

Part Two: Culture

Although there were efforts in the reign of Napoleon III (1881-1912) to create one standard culture for the Empire to have, it is generally considered that Bonapartist Europe has a myriad of cultures reflecting the multicultural aspect of the realm. One can find Russian folk dances being performed in the city of Paris or German Oktoberfest celebrations in the city of London. All languages are equally respected and are taught in schools although French is the first among equals with many people using French in government and corporations. The cultures of the peoples which inhabit the Empire have often been showcased in exhibitions and festivals in cities all over the realm such as the Imperial Exhibition of Culture (1851) which was held during the reign of Napoleon II (1811-1881) in the style of the World's Fair except that it was fixated on Europe rather than the world. Since there is no standard culture of the Empire, the Empire generally supports multicultural pursuits throughout the realm with citizens urged to respect one another regardless of culture. French culture is widespread in the Empire although it is generally not favored by the government to exhort people to simply become French; everyone is exhorted to be themselves and to cherish their culture and traditions although solidarity is emphasized.

Part 3: Government

Enlightened absolutism ("Revolutionary Monarchism") has been the philosophy of the government of Bonapartist Europe since its birth in the early 1800s during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte as the first Emperor of Europe. There are shreds of democratic elections in the cities and towns but all political power is mostly in the hands of the Emperor who is an absolute monarch but all citizens have freedoms such as the freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of association as guaranteed in past charters and imperial declarations. While it is generally held to be treason to physically attack or in any way harm the Emperor, it is more than allowed to criticize him and his policies. After the Emperor comes the ministries such as Defense, Economy and Foreign Affairs who generally work in their respective fields with all ministers appointed and dismissed by the Emperor. Women are generally allowed to work in all aspects of political life but according to Salic Law and the Constitution they are barred from becoming the monarch of the Empire and Empress Consorts generally have no power although they may give support to government policies. The Emperor also commands the Armed Forces and is the only one allowed to authorize nuclear strikes; he is also the head of the Bonaparte Family Association which has records of every Bonaparte which has or does walk upon the Earth. Although freedom of association, that is, the freedom to associate yourself with any political group of your choice has been relished by the people, there have been times when supporting certain doctrines could get you fired from your job for example. Bonapartism is the official ideology of the government and Communists, Republicans and Royalists are generally barred from all offices of government on the Imperial level although some local politicans are cited for sympathizing with one of these movements. The Emperor is also not above the law. He can be forced to abdicate by the general will of the realm if he is found guilty of certain crimes. The line of succession, though, would not be impacted in such a case with the Emperor's son still inheriting the throne.

ooc: I like the idea. Do you feel ready for FT visitors although?

ooc: I like the idea. Do you feel ready for FT visitors although?

OOC: Sure! Go right ahead and send them along. This is a puppet of Ixania, mind you, so any questions should be TGed to Ixania rather than Bonapartist Europe.

Part Four: The Imperial Family

Since 1804, the Empire has been governed by monarchs from the House of Bonaparte with the line of succession going down the Napoleonic line as established by Emperor Napoleon I after the birth of his son, Napoleon II, in French occupied Vienna. The current monarch, Napoleon VII, is a direct (paternal) descendant of Napoleon Bonaparte and all emperors have so far been named Napoleon in the tradition of French kings who often used the name Louis. Napoleon VII, coronated in 1989 after the death of Napoleon VI, is married to Empress Elizabeth and has four children: Napoleon, Louis, Marie and Josephine with only Josephine, the youngest at fourteen, living with her parents as her older siblings have all recieved their own palaces. There are also many descendants of Napoleon's siblings and his children other than Napoleon II who live to this day in the Empire. The Emperor's children need the explicit permission of the Emperor to marry if under the age of 21 but children who are 21 and older may marry without his consent according to Imperial decree. All Emperors may marry whoever they wish although royal and noble consorts are often preferred; consorts have no power at all within the Empire but many people consider the life of a consort to be appealing nonetheless.

Pictures:

Emperor Napoleon VII (http://www.napoleonicsociety.com/images/Bernadotte_color.jpg)

Empress Consort Elizabeth (http://www.goodorient.com/images/D/BE245_main.jpg)

Prince Napoleon (http://www.youngbrideandgroom.co.uk/images/men_suits_03_1.jpg)

Prince Louis (http://www.mediamagnet.com/images/catalog/comps/7/788f8f4d-d8f5-402d-868b-34e625dfc6bb.jpg)

Princess Marie (http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/8941/princessyk4.jpg)

Princess Josephine (http://images.elfwood.com/art/s/c/scicutella/medieval.jpg)

Part Five: History

OOC: Please TG Neo-Ixania with your (constructive) criticisms.

"I closed the gulf of anarchy and brought order out of chaos. I rewarded merit regardless of birth or wealth, wherever I found it. I abolished feudalism and restored equality to all regardless of religion and before the law. I fought the decrepit monarchies of the Old Regime because the alternative was the destruction of all this. I purified the Revolution." Napoleon I, Emperor of the French (1769-1851)

The Empire of Europe claims to be merely nothing more than the continuation of the First French Empire founded in 1804 with the House of Bonaparte as the reigning dynasty of the realm. After Napoleon Bonaparte resigned himself to peace at the Château de Malmaison with his Austrian wife (Marie-Louise) bearing him an heir along with five other children, Napoleon abolished all of the royal titles of the old Europe by merging them into one title, the Emperor of Europe, which he gave himself by right of conquest. He made nobles out of his marshals, encouraged intermarriage between his family and the old dynasties of the Continent and divided all of Europe into departments based on the French system with the Napoleonic Code forming the basis of law and order while Napoleon's image was being exported throughout the land. Napoleon was now "plus grands que les Romains" (greater than the Romans) as he grew into his new persona as the Emperor of an entire continent which was something that even his opponents seemed to like. Napoleon reigned until 1851 with a benevolent but iron hand that stretched into Africa and India which were claimed as spoils of war by the Imperial Army led by capable and modest officers. He disbanded the Harem of the Ottoman sultans and permitted Christians and Muslims to have public displays of their faiths in the city of Constantinople which he visited during his reign to see Hagia Sophia and other landmarks. Napoleon was content with his new position. The Empire of Europe was consolidated with the ruthless precision of men like Fouche who enforced the Bonapartist Order all across the realm. People were made to adore the man who saved the Revolution of 1789 and who brought peace to all of Europe through wars brilliantly conducted. Any opponents were most likely exiled to various places including prisons on French Guiana. Napoleon would eventually die from heart failure in 1851 on the island of Corsica where he wished to live his last days before death. His son, Napoleon II and his wife, Sophie of Bavaria (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_of_Bavaria) were coronated as the Emperor and Empress of France days after Napoleon I's demise in Notre Dame in great splendour and luxury with a coronation banquet being held after the coronation. The banquet allowed Napoleon II to be familiar with the elderly marshals of his father's reign and the young and passionate speakers who would be a part of his own reign as the Emperor of Europe. Napoleon II's first act was to reaffirm the values of his father with a reform of the emerging system of departments with lands such as England being divided into departments (OOC: The entire Empire is organized like this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administrative_divisions_of_France)) such as the Department of Berkshire (OOC: think of all counties of England (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_counties_of_England) being known as departments of England but with the same names as the RL counties) being created under his guidance. Napoleon II was more than capable in managing the Empire entrusted to him by his father and he had the support of his uncles and aunts who were the siblings of the Great Corsican. Napoleon II had about six children: Napoleon III (1830-1916), Maximillien (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilian_I_of_Mexico) (1832-1920), Louis (1833-1897), Marie-Claire (1835-1901), Anne (1840-1924) and Ludwig (1842-1925) and although he spent much time with all of them it was a well known fact that the education and tutelage of Napoleon III was his priority as he hoped to cultivate a sense of responsibility in his firstborn child. Napoleon II also helped with the wedding of Achille Murat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Achille_Murat) with Elizabeth of Bavaria due to his fondness for Aunt Caroline; who was one of his father's sisters and the wife of Joachim Murat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joachim_Murat), the Grand Duke of Berg and Cleves and First Prince Murat. Napoleon II was also famous for the ministers he appointed such as Bénédicte-Jean-Louis Chenevier (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/63/Guizot3.jpg) who was best known for his tendencies towards constitutional monarchy and liberal thought but was generally faithful to the Bonapartist cause. Napoleon II relied on the advice of the ministers although he was generally known to act very much independently of them while his wife often strove to bolster support for her husband. The railway network was rapidly expanded throughout the Empire while military tactics and technology were modernized to keep with the ever changing times. In 1858, La Confusion occured which saw the establishment of absolute monarchy in the enlightened tradition with the Parliament and other such bodies being disbanded amidst the peaceful turmoil. Jean-Jacques Girardin, the Police Minister under Napoleon II, led purges against republican and royalist elements in the Empire afterwards with Bonapartists becoming the main faction in the nation; Girardin also put down the Riots of 1848 which were led by various groups including people who wanted independence for England and other parts of the Empire. Napoleon II also made overtures to the United States; staying neutral in their conflicts due to his own plans to expand French influence in the East; one of his plans involved French financing of the Meiji Restoration and the taking of concessions in Qing China. Napoleon II's death in 1858 from medical problems did not stop the Empire from expanding its influence as his successor, Napoleon III, devoted his time and effort to the continuation of such policies. Napoleon III was born in 1830 as the first child of Napoleon II and Sophie and was educated in the elite schools of the Empire before he went on a stint in Russia in which he learned Russian at the house of the Ney family (the Princes of Moscow) and opened his mind to the writings of Russian authors such as Tolstoy and Pushkin. Napoleon III married Catherine Capellle during his stay in Toulouse and had his first child, Napoleon, in 1855 during his stay in Barcelona. He loved to travel and would often go with his wife on tours of the realm. Napoleon loved Catherine very much and was said to have consulted her on various issues such as the education of their four children: Napoleon, Louis, Marie-Catherine, and Valerie. Napoleon III was given Buckingham Palace by his father in 1857 and he often lived in the English palace even when reigning as the Emperor of Europe. He is said to have been a goodhearted gentleman who loved fencing and traveling and was popular among the subject peoples of the Empire for his overtures towards them. He was also a sponsor of various composers and other icons of culture such as novelists and painters. When Napoleon II died in 1858, Napoleon III had already gained four children, a comfortable home in London, and the love of the masses. He was coronated in Notre Dame in a grand and lavish ceremony before he went straight to the Imperial Palace in Paris to begin his reign in full. Reigning until 1916, Napoleon III was a man who emulated the iron fisted benevolence of the monarchs before him and who was generally concerned with the welfare of the poor and of women. In an Imperial decree, Napoleon III declared all women to be equal with men before the law and that gender equality would be one of the Empire's main values. Napoleon III also retained the experienced ministers of his father's reign and continued to fund cultural pursuits out of his own pocket instead of the Imperial treasury which was reserved for matters of state. Napoleon also had good relationships with his children who he spent much time with; taking them on vacations to places like the French Riviera and Russia. Prince Napoleon, who would later become Napoleon IV, fondly remembered these vacations in his personal memoirs which were published in 2004. Napoleon III, although sympathetic to the plights of the people, personally loathed the Balkan nationalists whose methods of gaining support for their beliefs disgusted him. The murder of a high ranking official in Sarajevo in 1914 sparked a government-led purge of the Balkan departments with many people being imprisoned. Napoleon III, in his memoirs, wrote: "Even the most benevolent of monarchs must be ruthless with rebels."

The reign of Napoleon III can be said to have been the beginning of the birth of Republican and Communist organizations who desired the transformation of the nation along their own lines; Royalists of the Legitimist, Orleanist and Half-Orleanist (Supporters of the House of Bonaparte-Orleans) factions were also born around this time and many writers each offered their own beliefs about how the Empire should be reformed. Most people, however, were generally loyal to the Bonapartist order of things which had been in force since 1804 and some people would write polemics against those who would "seek to dismantle everything our ancestors worked for." The Riots of 1848 are held to have been the inspiration for such groups since the riots were led by Republicans and other anti-Bonapartist groups. The Balkan states had plenty of supporters of independence but they were ruthlessly persecuted by Napoleon III after 1914 which many historians say was a "shocking move by a gentle man." Three years later, Imperial soldiers put down a Communist rebellion in Russia with its leader, Lenin, being assassinated by a woman named Kaplan. Trotsky, the leader of the Red Army, was convicted of treason and was guillotined. Many Communists attribute the defeat of the Bolsheviks to the deeds of Joseph Stalin, a Georgian poet and agent of the Imperial Court who led anti-Bolshevik attacks throughout the land. Stalin's associates were generally composed of men loyal to the Tzars of Russia (in 1917, Nicholas Romanov was held to be the rightful Tzar of Russia), anti-Communists, and a variety of other groups who had their reasons for not wanting a Communist Russia. A wave of Communist rebellions shook the Empire in the coming years with each one of them being put down by Imperial soldiers. In 1923, an Austrian painter named Adolf Hitler led the failed Beer Hall Putsch in which he was killed by a stray bullet to the head. The Putsch was aimed at inspiring German nationalism throughout the German provinces of the Empire but it failed miserably with many people mocking Hitler who, in his fiery speeches, condemned the Empire as a coalition of "Jews and other enemies" who were aiming to destroy German culture and, in essence, the purity of the Aryan race. The 1920s were known as the Belle Epoque or Roaring Twenties although they ended with the Great Depression which saw the rise of Fascist movements which sought to reform the Empire along right wing lines. Napoleon III's death in 1916 had given Napoleon IV the problem of dealing with all of these rebellions and movements. Napoleon IV ruthlessly defended the status quo with massive movements of police throughout the land and with his associates who were ardently opposed to any deviation from Bonapartism. Napoleon IV was born in 1858 to Napoleon III and Catherine Capelle; he was not the oldest child of the family since his two sisters were born before him but since Salic Law was used he was the heir to the throne. Napoleon IV was an avid bibliophile who collected all sorts of books throughout his life and was fond of beautiful women which led him to his marriage with Zephyrine Renault who he often called his "dearest Zephy" in his many letters to her over the years. Napoleon IV's reign began in 1916 when he and Zephyrine were coronated in Notre Dame after the death of his father days earlier. 1916 was generally a peaceful year but the later years saw the rise of mass movements, rebellions, and the Roaring Twenties. Napoleon IV approached politics with a benevolent but ruthless hand that often orchestrated the downfall of anyone suspected of treason which was punished by the guillotine. Napoleon IV had six children: Napoleon V, Celeste-Helene, Maximillien, Jeanne, Francois, and Elizabeth who lived with him and Zephyrine at the Tuileries Palace in Paris which has served as the Imperial Family's home since the days of Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon IV was significantly involved in the Great Depression as he often appeared at soup kitchens and markets to help give the people hope. Pictures of his family show his wife and daughter knitting clothes for poor children while his sons helped serve in soup kitchens. Jeanne Bonaparte, in particular, became famous for her services to the poor in Rouen where her namesake, Joan of Arc, was burned at the stake. Napoleon IV was an ardent admirer of St. Joan and had many books about her in his personal library as well as a statue built to adorn the palace. Jeanne Bonaparte would marry and have numerous children but would never cease helping the poor who she believed needed to know that people cared about them.