Reino de Cordova

	Reino de Cordova
; Flag	; Coat of Arms
Capital city	Mariposa
Official language(s)	English, Spanish
Short name	Cordova
Demonym	Cordovese
- Reina	Celestina
Established	27 August 2002
Population	36
Currency	Peso

The Reino de Cordova is a nation within the Empire of Agber that was founded on 27 August 2002 as the Enclave de Cordova shortly after Empress Arlene relocated to Northern California. With Baron Gilbert becoming the first Cordovese Baron, the Enclave was the first nation within the Empire where Empress Arlene did not serve as the national head of state.

History

Original flag of the Enclave from 2002 to 2020. Currently in use as Cordova's military flag

Empress Arlene's parents separated in 2002, with Arlene relocating to Northern California with her mother that summer, to have family closer by during the transition. While there, the Empress began connecting with a group of people involved in both Renaissance Fairs and the Society for Creative Anachronism. This led to the creation of the Enclave de Cordova in August of that year, with her cousin, Gilbert, serving at the nation's first Baron. He would continue in that role until 2004.

Cordova was initially unique for having a more vibrant and established culture than Carthage or Kolios. This was primarily due to the defining role that creative anachronism played, with Renaissance Fair culture squarely at the center of Cordovese affairs. Though it would wait until 2013, this aspect would eventually be extended to the entirety of the Agberian Empire.

During the Transient Era

During the time that Empress Arlene served in the United States Air Force, the greater activity of the Empire was sparse. Typically only being briefly revived when there was an event the Empress wanted to create a retinue for. Cordova was the glaring exception to this; due largely to the fact that the Enclave enjoyed a greater sense of purpose due to the focus on Renaissance Fair culture, and experienced a larger degree of ability to exist away from the Empress. Additionally Empress Arlene had family in the area, and still visited during the nearly decade-long Second Era. To this day, it remains the most active nation in the Empire.

During this era, Cordova and the Empress had a relationship that fluctuated between cordial and contentious. While most Carthageans supported the notion of the Empire, Baronesa Nicolette and her successor, Baron Peter, regarded Empress Arlene as an absentee meddler on more than one occasion. The strain would come to a breaking point right after Arlene's discharge from the Air Force, when she approached then Baron Peter about a revamp of the project. Peter initially expressed interest in leaving the Empire rather than have someone he said was "little more than a stranger" meddle with Cordovese affairs on a whim. When he held a vote among the provincial leaders, he found that they unanimously supported the Empress' plan. He then abdicated the throne without naming a preferred successor in what was described by one account as a "dramatic affair." Empress Arlene then appointed Baron Devon as the nation's fourth head of state in 2013.

Revitalization

In 2013, Cordova's culture was a relatively non-descript snapshot of general Renaissance Fair activities, relying only on the use of Spanish honorifics and titles. In order to distinguish itself as part of the Empire's new initiative, the Enclave began to evolve into more of a take on early Spanish Colonialism under the leadership of Baron Devon. During his reign, Cordova transcended the small circle of friends it had previously been. Baron Devon sponsored jousters, would provide patronage to vendors in exchange for their display of a Cordovese banner, and would occasionally "hold court." The work done by Devon to make Cordova a true part of Cordova's local Renaissance Fair scene inspired approached utilized by Empress Arlene and other nations within the Empire.

In early 2018, Baron Devon relocated to Atlanta, Georgia for work. He decided to abdicate in favor of Doña Celestina, who was serving as the head of Provincial Dorado at the time. She was elevated to the title of Baronesa, a role she currently holds. While he stated that he hated stepping down, the culture Devon had fostered within Cordova during his five years as Baron would be unsustainable with an absent Sovereign. Devon would eventually go on to establish his own project called the Tenshukyō Shogunate, which would eventually join the Empire in 2020.

Changes as a Result of the Indiana Proclamation

When Cordova was handed more autonomy as a part of the 18 June 2020 proclamation, the Baronesa Celestina immediately restructured the Enclave as a kingdom, opting to use the Spanish wording Reino. This elevated her title to that of Reina, and the former Dons and Doñas were elevated to the rank of Barón or Baronesa. Additionally, she announced a new structure of nobility for Cordova that is designed to blend aspects of both aristocracy and meritocracy.

All provincial heads will hold the minimum title of Barón/Baronesa. Through a merit-based system, they can raise their title to Marquês/Marquesa, and again to Duque/Duquesa.
Provincial successors will hold the title immediately below that of their predecessor (i.e. a Duquesa's successor will be a Marquês, and a Marquês' will be a Baronesa). Successors to the office held by a Barón/Baronesa will retain that same rank.
Children of a noble will hold the title immediately below that of their parent, much in the same way a provincial successor works. However, the child of a Barón or Baronesa will hold the non-noble title of Don or Doña. Children of a Cordovese who holds a non-noble title will be afforded no title or honorific.

Government

The head of Cordova is Reina Celestina, who sits on the figurative and literal Redwood Throne of Cordova. The Reino or Reina serves for life. The heir to the Cordovese throne is currently Duquesa Isabella, as Celestina's eldest child.

List of Cordovese Rulers

Cordova has had five rulers in its history:

Gilbert, 2002 to 2004. Arguably coerced into stepping down by an anti-Imperial faction. Currently serving as Grand Duke of Liguria.
Nicolette, 2004 to 2009. Abdicated in favor of Don Paul when she relocated to Houston.
Paul, 2009 to 2013. Abdicated in protest to what he regarded as Imperial meddling.
Devon, 2013 to 2018. Abdicated in favor of Doña Celestina when he relocated to Atlanta. Currently serving as Shogun of Tenshukyō.
Celestina, 2018 to present

Districts

Level	Name	Administrator	Notes
Capital District	Mariposa	Reina Celestina
Precinct	Alder	Barón Enrique	Established as a new Province in 2013
Precinct	Dorado	Barón Lucien
Precinct	Florin	Baronesa Juliana
Precinct	Natomas	Marquês Sven	Established as a new Province in 2013. Saint Michael's Cathedral is the current Imperial religious capital
Precinct	Stanislaus	Barón Alberto

Orders of Chivalry of the Reino de Cordova

See also: Awards and decorations of the Empire of Agber

While the Empire of Agber as a whole has nearly twenty separate orders of chivalry, there are only six officially considered of concern to Cordova. The two orders of the Empire, the Order of the Empire of Agber and the Order of Arlene I, both supersede the four orders of Cordova. The current Font of Honor for these four Cordovese orders is Reina Celestina.

Order Name	Established	Classes/Ranks	Awarded For	Notes
Order of Cordova	27 August 2002	Knight/Dame Grand Cross Knight/Dame Commander Knight/Dame	Service to Cordova
Order of the Redwood	27 August 2003	Knight/Dame	Personal achievement	Not currently awarded Declared intent to reimagine as highest order at future date
Order of the Grizzly	27 August 2016	Knight/Dame Commander Knight/Dame	Personal achievement
Order of the Mariposa	27 August 2004	Knight/Dame	Conservation work	Not currently awarded