Kingdom of Babkha
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| Official language | English/Persian | |
| Capital | Kamalshahr | |
| Date founded | October 12, 2000 | |
| Number of citizens | 35 | |
| Number of active citizens | ||
| Currency | Rial | |
| Government | Monarchy | |
| Current leader | ||
| National animal | Camel | |
| National fruit/food | ||
| National drink | ||
GC Member Nation |
This nation is a member of the Grand Commonwealth | |
Foundation
The Kingdom of Babkha was founded on the 12th of October 2000 with a simple website and a humble declaration of micronationhood that its founder hoped would turn his boyhood dream into reality. Titled Shah Babak XXVI, The young Shah, would later drop his Europeanised title in favor of the Persian title of Babak Kapav Mehr, "Babak, Light of Kapav". Kapav was the old name of the Province of Kapitalia, where mythically, Babak The Great ruled and went on to conquer the other Babkhan kingdoms to unite and found a single Babkhan nation.
Like many of todays success stories, Babkha had very humble beginnings, a small, simple website to announce its existence and a document, its first constitution that outlined the Shah's ambition to create a large, politically vibrant social and cultural experiment. The first people to become Babkhan citizens are notable, the very first was named Raqshid Hamdollayi, who would later change his name to Fath Ali Nouradin and be etched in Babkhan folklore with tales from his exploits in the Treesian war. Another significant Babkhan to join early on was the very first online citizen to be approved, a Finnish man with a self confessed love of the middle east adopted the name Tahmaseb Farshbaf and was soon appointed Vizier of Foreign Affairs, a post he would hold for close to two years.
Babkha grew in fame and notoriety, as its distinct culture started to evolve, and soon, within a month, on September 13, the enigmatic Shah acquired a territory to the new Babkhan Empire. A deal was struck with Thomas Mountian, and Bathland was acquired as an "Autonomous Babkhan Territory". Babkha would go on to be one of the earliest micronations to join a new and dynamic organization that had sprung up in the vacuum left by a nearly defunct LoSS. The League of Micronations was founded and would in the future become a fierce battle ground between Babkha and her adversaries, most notably the Rasinate of Qattera Macussia.
Initially founded as a Despotism, the Shah soon granted the growing citizenry of Babkha a parliament and permitted the formation of Political parties. The Parliament was named the "Majlis i Satrapan", and was initially a direct democracy. The founding parties were the Babkhan Liberal Centre Party, the Socialist Taj Party and the Conservative Party.
The political and legal landscape of Babkha would soon be changed dramatically however. A Czech judge named George Nantell became a Babkhan citizen and immediately drafted a constitution granting the Majlis equal power to the Shah and was appointed Minister of Justice to oversee the construction of a Judicial Branch of government. Within a month, a new constitution was passed through the Majlis and the position of Grand Vizier (Prime Minister) was created, initially, the Shah had the right to appoint the Grand Vizier, and it was Tahmaseb Farshbaf who was chosen for the Job. The new constitution had also created a Judiciary, with a Constitutional Tribunal, a Magistrates Court and a Supreme Court, Nantell was appointed Chief Justice and President of the Constitutional Tribunal.
The Political life of Babkha was taking shape at this point too, the BLCP grew to become a strong party, while the Socialist Taj was abandoned. At this time, a host of new citizens had arrived and a new political ideology had sprung up from the new citizens. The Rastakhiz movement, a political party, founded by and led by Ramin Qajar aimed for a Babkhan renaissance, and quickly established itself as a right wing nationalist party. One of the most devout followers of Qajar and the Rastakhiz movement, was a fresh military man named Ataxerxes.
At the same time, another ideology had found a home in Babkha, the Socialist movement brought in by former Reunion citizen Juan Pablo Var and El Doessen (who later adopted the Babkhan name of Mirza Malkom Khan) quickly gained ground in Babkha and Var was appointed Grand Vizier. The Socialist Peoples Party was quickly founded and in a move that led to mass sectarian violence, the SPP aligned itself with an aggressive international Communist movement, the Peoples Revolutionary Party. Babkha was rocked by riots between Rastakhizis and the SPP, with tensions climaxing with the PRP's decision to base itself in Kamalshahr, Babkha. Right wing pressure eventually forced the SPP to cut its ties with the PRP and caused the SPP itself to splinter, with Fath Ali Nouradin defecting and forming his own Islamic Front of Babkha Party, which would later be renamed to the Azadegan (Free People) Party.
The Shah, forced to act to calm a volatile situation dissolved the Majlis and discharged the government. Fresh elections were called, and the Rastakhiz, now led by Ardashir Khan were tipped to take an easy victory. The Liberal Centre Party, quiet throughout the Socialist/Nationalist troubles had rebuilt itself unbeknownst to its rivals and had elected another new citizen as its leader. Pascale Dufoix, the first Babkhan woman to hold such a high position took the leadership and began campaigning immediately. In what is regarded as the most incredible election ever held in Babkha, the Majlis was split even down the middle with the BLCP surprisingly receiving the most votes and taking 2 seats in the Majlis, and the Rastakhiz taking 2 seats, with the IFB taking the fifth. The Socialist Peoples Party, demoralized and discredited by consistent Rastakhiz pressure disintegrated and failed to gain a single seat.
A period of great peace and harmony existed in Babkha, with the BLCP and Rastakhiz in coalition government under the leadership of the first female Grand Vizier of Babkha, Pascale Dufoix, Babkha's political system was riding on its crest.
However, surprisingly and to the shock, sadness and surprise of the micronational community, Babkha's founder and much loved Shah abdicated the throne. Citing real life duties the Shah made a rare sacrifice and allowed the Kingdom to live on, hand picking his closest advisor and Military Chief, Ardashir Khan (Ataxerxes) to be his successor. The transition of power, rarely seen in micronationalism was one of the smoothest and celebrated events in Babkhan history. The end of one great dynasty gave way to the beginning of another. The Kapav Era had ended and in its place Ardashir was crowned as the first Shah of the Osmani dynasty. On January 2003, Babkha saw another succession of the throne whereby the Shah of the Osmani - a curious mix of writer, politician and soldier - who secretly had only intended to rule for the length of time needed to secure the continuation of the Kingdom, abdicated to be replaced by another hand picked successor, former Grand Vizier Tahmaseb Farshbaf, who started the Abakhtari line of the Radiant Throne.
Once again the face of Babkha changed, new citizens poured in as old ones left, and new political powers emerged. The Azadegan Party, traditionally on the fringe of politics somehow came to the forefront of the political establishment with its leader, Umra Khan a new citizen and fierce advocate of Islamic Socialism took the helm. Within months, elections were held and contested by the BLCP and Azadegan, the Islamists gained their highest number of seats ever, taking two while the Liberals took charge of government. Surprisingly the Azadegan eventually faded from the limelight and by the next elections, a new political power came into being; the Behsaz or Renaissance Party. The Behsaz Party was the largest party in Babkha and held the majority of the seats in the Majlis i-Mellat.
However, with the relaxation of rules on dual-citizenship, the Babkhan Left began a new resurgence under the former PRP activist Kuralyov and Hanoverian citizen Kevin Hood [Abbas Madani] who between them founded the Qermez [Red]~-start-33-stop Party, a secular replacement for the Islamist Azadegan, and gained a large following in a short space of time. Meanwhile a conservative mood had overtaken the Behsaz Party, which looked upon the successes of the first Behsaz administration as the pinnacle of the Babkhan achievement. Not everyone in Babkha shared this view. Indeed the Qermez railed against what it viewed as a lethargic and reactionary administration. Matters came to a head with the revival of the Babkhan Liberal Centre Party under Rakesh Ackbar, who decided to end cooperation with the Grand Vizierate of Ardashir Khan Osmani and moved the BLCP to a centre left platform. When the Shahanshah called elections in August 2003 the BLCP and Qermez quickly resolved to form a coalition to attempt to force the Behsazis out of government. The election was one of the hardest fought in Babkhan history, with both sides making inflammatory speeches and intense use of propaganda. In the end, in spite of the overall vote being too close to call, the Behsaz gained four of the five seats on the Majlis-i-Mellat. Magnanimously, Ardashir Khan Osmani offered government positions to his defeated rivals who for the most part accepted.
Grand Commonwealth Period
History moved relentlessly along and in January 2004 Ardashir opted to resign his commission leading to a short lived administration headed by Hesam Jahandar. In the mean time, the alliance between Qermez and BLCP lead to a merger platform named Rastakhiz. Hesam's successor Rakesh Ackbar formed a successful minority administration that lasted from March 2004 to Decmber 2005, when Rakesh was replaced after a short period of absence by Darius Rugahi, who basically continued the administration until the February 2005 elections. Influx of a few more conservative minded citizens and stagnation in the Rastakhiz party has led to an overwhelming victory for the Behsaz and a government under Rashid Arsalani was formed. During his administration the Grand Commonwealth came to life, a cooperation, yet not a complete merger between the micronations of Treesia, Aerlig, Karnali, Babkha, Lemuria and Alteria. Form now on the foreign affairs and military policies would be handled on the level of the COmmonwealth, everything else on national level. Rashid tried to launch a set of badly needed reforms in Babkha, but due to absence of people in key positions (mainly in the Majlis) and due to bureaucracy, the reforms never took off.
With the formation of the Grand Commonwealth, Shah Tahmaseb Abakhtari was appointed as Shahan-Ri (head of state) of the Grand-Commonwealth. He decided it wouldn't fit in to hold both the position of Shah in Babkha and that of Shahan-Ri in the Commonwealth, so he handed the position of Shah of Babkha back to Ardashir Khan.
In spite of allegations in certain tabloid publications, as of December 2005 the Kingdom of Babkha is still very much alive.
Government
After the Camel Revolution of November 2005 the Kingdom of Babkha has now become an oligarchic based monarchy in which authority has been vested by the Satrapian elite into the hands of Ardashir Khan as Shahanshah.
Key Citizens
See Grand Commonwealth Key Citizens
Links
Website: http://www.babkha.com/