Rocklund
Rocklund | |
|---|---|
 †Flag
 Coat of arms
| |
| Official languages | English, French |
| Demonym(s) | Rocklundish, Roccish |
| Government | Provisional Government |
• Acting President | Jacob Keogh ‡ |
| Establishment | November 2012 |
| Population | |
• Census | ≤ 5 |
| Currency | Freedomian Burgin |
Notes: † An approximation of the flag as it appeared in April 2013 on the now-lost Rocklund Treaty. There was no known coat of arms or national seal ‡ Alias: Jacques Miles | |
Rocklund was a rebel province of the Republic of Freedomia, and later the Holy Empire of New Israel, based on the outskirts and the southeast of Sullivan, Missouri. As a province of New Israel, it had an existence more on paper than in fact: even on paper, Rocklund's status within the Holy Empire was unclear, often forgotten or not included in maps. For a brief period of time it also belonged to the Tsardom of Nolland, an outcome of New Israel's defeat in the Second Spice War.
History
Background
The antagonistic Jacques Miles was a schoolmate of Markus II, the leader of the fledgling Freedomia. Relations between the two were rocky and erratic, and the passage of time prevents an accurate account of early events. However, it is known that Miles eventually accepted a seat on the Freedomian senate after one hostile episode came to an end. Concurrently, Miles' self-proclaimed territory of Rocklund was annexed to the Freedomian republic.
Miles provided a self-aggrandizing and dubious background history of Rocklund. According to Miles, Rocklund had existed for several years previously, founded at a similar time as Freedomia, at some point around the year 2009. Miles alleged the woods near his home were the site of Rocklund, which boasted a small settlement periodically inhabited by himself, his relatives and his colleagues. Miles also claimed, bolstered by his strong telecommunications background, that Rocklund had a minor telegraph network.
Although initially accepting the claims in good faith, the Emperor Markus was later suspicious and came to doubt them. The similarities between Rocklund's background history and Freedomia's were suspicious: Miles may have taken characteristics of Freedomia's short history (its foundation in a woods, its small settlements and paths in the same woods, etc) and emulated them, attempting to be convincing.
Whether Rocklund existed up to that point, it became a real entity in mid or late November 2012. Miles was appointed head of the Freedomian intelligence agency, the Red Guard, and tasked with preparing dossiers on other young people who had mocked Emperor Markus or Freedomia, with the objective of prosecuting them to their parents or superiors.
November 2012
By Fall of 2012, Markus II had converted from a position of religious indifference to a more zealous form of Protestantism, and began to impose these beliefs on the micronation. It is possible the impetuousity by which Markus imposed these reforms was the cause of Freedomia's gradual isolation from the rest of the micronational community after only a few months of relative prominence. At this time the Republic of Freedomia had several dozen semi-active citizens and multiple provinces. It was not the Freedomia of 2009 or 2010, which was exceptionally active and prosperous by the small micronational standards, but it was still a theretofore growing force in the MicroWiki milieu.
Relations between Miles and Markus II broke down again towards the beginning of December 2012, only a few weeks after Rocklund had joined Freedomia. At that time, Miles breached the secrecy of the Red Guard, the agency over which he had complete control, and revealed classified details (particularly related to the surveillance of suspected Freedomian enemies) to some members of the public. It is possible Miles was given a warning by Markus II and an attempt to reconcile the damage was made. However, this was unsuccessful due to the strain added on the relationship by the impending dissolution of the Confederate States of Prosperity.
Markus discovered Miles' propensity to secretly tape their conversations: both semi-public discussions and private telephone and Skype calls. This was simultaneously amusing and irritating to Markus, who was entertained by Miles' comedic sense, but displeased with Miles' increasing insubordination and lack of respect.
Breakdown
The Confederate States of Prosperity was dissolved in December 2012 and most of its member-states joined the Wurtige Empire, led by Arthur Lobão. This was violently opposed by Markus II, who immediately tried to destabilize the new Wurtige regime, seeing it as usurpers. Freedomia and Emperor Markus were isolated from the micronational community as a result. Even within the Freedomian senate, a large contingency of Wurtige senators began to oppose the Emperor's actions.
During an attempted coup on 18 December 2012, Lord Chancellor Dakoda George and Senator Keogh declared the Emperor deposed on the grounds that his actions against the Wurtige were insane. Acting together, George declared his lands independent and made himself the new emperor. Keogh likewise seceded Rocklund from Freedomia. Also many senators loyal to George and Keogh resigned and declared support for George's ephemeral empire. This was the final rupture between Markus and Keogh.
The Freihetian Civil War ended three weeks later with the signing of the 10th of January Accords, mediated by Freedomian Senator Yurt Kyong-yon, who founded the short-lived Freedomian (and later New Israeli) Maturity and Pacifism Front, supposedly to prevent such future crises.
With the 10th of January Accords, Rocklund's secession was conceded by Markus, a very short-lived concession. Two weeks later, unrecognized by Rocklund or the micronational community, Markus reneged on the Accords and reclaimed Rocklund for Freedomia.
In April 2013, after the founding of the Holy Empire of New Israel, which had in its first act as a government declared war on Rocklund, Oasis Islands, Yurtyzstan, Wurtigeland and other nations, Markus convinced Keogh into signing a treaty conceding Rocklund back to New Israel.
Between June and August 2013, Keogh assumed the role of a rebel, not recognizing the previous treaty and making Internet hacks, propaganda campaigns and threats against New Israel. One such instance was Wurtige-backed press release called FreedomiaLeaks. FreedomiaLeaks, although riddled with errors, released some obsolete confidential files of the Red Guard, of which Keogh had previously had supervision.
Symbols
Anthem
Rocklund had an instrumental anthem without lyrics. The tune was similar to the typical revolutionary rock music from the 1950s and was for this reason much mocked by Markus II.