Newgraviate of Saint-Castin
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Newgraviate of Saint-Castin Neugraviat de Saint-Castin (French) | |
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 Flag
 Coat of arms
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| Anthem: "Mon pays" "My Country" | |
| Capital | Tekakwitha |
| Largest city | Villemaison |
| Official languages | |
| Regional languages | |
| Demonym(s) | Castinian, Kashtiuńnu |
| Government | Parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
• Newgravine | Marie-Philippe |
• Minister-President | Dominic Desaintes |
| Legislature | Nekaussei |
| Sovereign state | |
• First Newgraviate established | 24 June 2014 |
• Republican coup | 24 July 2014 |
• Annexation by St. Charlie | 14 September 2014 |
• Independence from St. Charlie | 1 August 2015 |
• Monarchy restored and Second Newgraviate proclamed | 1 October 2020 |
| Population | |
• 2020 estimate | 14 |
| Currency | Castinian piaster |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (BRT) |
| Date format | dd-mm-yyyy CE |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +1 |
| Internet TLD | .sc |
Website www | |
The Newgraviate of Saint-Castin (French: Neugraviat de Saint-Castin), also known simply as Saint-Castin, is a North American micronation located in Quebec, Canada. The capital city is Tekakwitha, and the country has three official languages, with Quebec French being the national language with Castino-montagnais and english. The micronation also recognizes regional languages such as Anishinabé, Attikamek, Basque, Cree, Huron Wendat, Montagnais, Inuktitut, Maliseet, Micmac, Mohawk, and Naskapi.
Founded as a Newgraviate on 24 June 2014, Saint-Castin underwent a coup d'état one month later and was proclaimed as a Republic. However, on 14 September of that same year, Saint-Castin was annexed by the Federal Republic of St.Charlie. On 1 August 2015, Saint-Castin declared its independence from St. Charlie and restored its sovereignty, becoming an aristocratic republic similar to the former Most Serene Republic of Venice with Louis-Philippe as the Regent and head of state. On 1 October 2020, Minister-President Dominic Desaintes restored Saint-Castin's monarchy and it became a parliamentary constitutional monarchy as a Newgraviate following a referendum. Louis-Philippe, who was the Regent under the republic as head of state, became the Newgrave of Saint-Castin. After Louis-Philippe's passing on 7 December 2020, his daughter Marie-Philippe inherited and became the new Newgravine of Saint-Castin. Under the Desaintes administration, Saint-Castin has become one of the more culturally developed micronations in North America.
Saint-Castin is active on the world stage and is among the founding members of the MicroFrancophonie. It is also the first North American micronation to join the Conference of Santiago. The micronation has participated in numerous micronational events such as MicroCons, summits and meetings worldwide.
Etymology
Saint-Castin takes its name from Jean-Vincent d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin, a soldier who fought with the French Army in Acadia. He was adopted by an Abenaki tribe and devoted the rest of his life to become Abenaki.
The province of Valinois takes its name from the proximity of the Newgraviate with the Monts-Valin National Park and its namesake peak Mount Valin. The province of Outaragasipi comes from the Algonquin, meaning "sinuous river with meanders". It is also the name that was given to the L'Assomption River.
History
First Newgraviate of Saint-Castin
The first Newgraviate of Saint-Castin was founded on 24 June, the day of St. John the Baptist, in the region of Valinois. This new state was established as a constitutional monarchy, with Louis-Phillippe, known as the Old Newgrave, as its ruler. Despite his advanced age of 92 years, Louis-Phillippe was only in power for a short period of time, known in the national history books as the July Monarchy. This brief reign, however, marked the beginning of a new era for the people of Saint-Castin, as they embarked on a journey towards self-governance and independence under the guidance of their constitutional monarch.
Republic of Saint-Castin
Republican coup
On 24 July, 2014, a dramatic turn of events occurred in the nation of Saint-Castin. The Prime Minister at the time, Dominic Desaintes, orchestrated a coup in collaboration with the National Zouaves. This coup resulted in the overthrow of the monarchy, and the establishment of a provisional government in the capital city of the new Social Democratic Appalacho-Laurentian republic of Saint-Castin.
The new Republican government quickly set to work on creating a provisional constitution. However, just a week later on 1 August, the provisional government was overthrown by monarchists who attempted to reinstate the power of the in-law of Louis Philippe, Remi, as the new ruler. Tragically, Remi died of leukemia the very next day.
But the political turmoil was far from over. On 6 August 2014, a new coup was orchestrated by the Military Staff of the National Zouaves. This time, the coup leaders agreed not to retain power for more than three weeks. On 26 August 2014, a new head of government was put in place, none other than the former Prime Minister, Dominic Desaintes.
With the new leadership in place, Desaintes embarked on a wave of reforms and on 30 August 2014, officially proclaimed the Republic of Saint-Castin. This tumultuous period in Saint-Castin's history marked the end of the monarchy and the beginning of a new era of self-governance and democracy for the people of the nation.
Annexation by the Federal Republic of St. Charlie
Autonomous Province of the Federation of Atlantis
On 14 September, the Republic of Saint-Castin came to an end as a result of negotiations with the Federal Republic of St.Charlie. The outcome of these negotiations was the annexation of Saint-Castin by the Federal Republic of St. Charlie, and the transformation of the former nation into an Autonomous Province of the Federation of Atlantis.
The annexation of Saint-Castin by the Federal Republic of St. Charlie marked a significant change in the political landscape of the region. The people of Saint-Castin were now subject to the laws and jurisdiction of the Federation of Atlantis, and their government and political system were subsumed under the larger federal government.
Despite this, the Autonomous Province of the Federation of Atlantis was granted a degree of autonomy and self-governance, allowing the people of Saint-Castin to retain some of their cultural and political identity within the larger federal system. This autonomy, however, came with the price of giving up their sovereignty as a nation.
The annexation of Saint-Castin was a significant event in the history of the Federation of Atlantis and served as a reminder of the complex and ever-changing nature of politics and international relations.
Formation of Valinois–Saint-Castin
Following the annexation of Valinois in March 2015, the Autonomous Province of Saint-Castin underwent a significant change as the territory of the former Newgraviate of Valinois was merged into it. As a result, the official name of the province was changed to reflect the new territorial reality and became known as the Autonomous Province of Valinois–Saint-Castin. The merger was a logical step as both territories shared a common history and many cultural similarities.
With the new, larger territory, the Autonomous Province of Valinois–Saint-Castin played a leading role in the formation of a new intermicronational organization, the Organisation of the MicroFrancophonie (OMF). The OMF was founded jointly by Valinois–Saint-Castin and the Principality of Aigues-Mortes, and was later joined by other micronations such as Hélianthis, Angyalistan, Padrhom and Sandus. The OMF is an organization that aims to promote French-speaking (Francophone) micronations in communities and increase intermicronational cooperation.
Republic of Saint-Castin
After facing some difficulties with the government of the Federal Republic of St. Charlie, the leadership of the Autonomous Province of Valinois–Saint-Castin decided to take action. On 1 August, 2015, the province officially seceded from St. Charlie and declared its independence, restoring its sovereignty as the independent Republic of Saint-Castin.
The newly independent Republic of Saint-Castin quickly established itself as one of the most developed Canadian-based micronations. The government, led by Regent and head of state Louis-Philippe, modeled the country after the former Most Serene Republic of Venice, becoming an aristocratic republic.
During this period, the government of Saint-Castin actively participated in various international micronational events and gatherings such as the 2016 summit of the MicroFrancophonie in Aigues-Mortes, France, MicroCon 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia, the 2018 summit of the MicroFrancophonie in Vincennes, France and MicroCon 2019 in Hamilton, Ontario. These events provided an opportunity for the Republic of Saint-Castin to showcase its achievements and interact with other micronations from around the world.
The Republic of Saint-Castin's decision to secede and restore its sovereignty was a bold move that paid off, leading to the establishment of a prosperous and respected micronation. The country's active participation in international micronational events further cemented its place in the community of micronations.
Newgraviate of Saint-Castin
In October 2020, Saint-Castin officially adopted a new constitution and changed its name to the Newgraviate of Saint-Castin. This historic move was proposed by a legislative council commission and passed in a referendum, receiving over 80% of the vote. The new constitution, which was inspired by that of Liechtenstein, transformed the state into a parliamentary monarchy with increased discretionary powers for the Newgrave. This change in government structure was intended to provide stability and reflect the increased power of the Newgrave.
One of the key changes included in the new constitution was the creation of a defense force to replace the army, as well as the strengthening of the role of the legislative council. This new administrative structure was designed to meet the needs of the modern state and provide a strong foundation for future growth and development.
In December 2020, Louis-Philippe I, the Newgrave of Saint-Castin, passed away at the age of 97. The government of Saint-Castin announced his death and declared a month-long period of national mourning. On 14 January 2021, the Newgravial Palace announced that Princess Marie-Philippe, the daughter of Louis-Philippe I, would officially become the Neugravine of Saint-Castin. She will take the head of the reigning House of De la Voye-Boulanger-Legendre and become the 15th monarch of the Renatine dynasty, who have held the title since the arrival of René I and his son René II in Quebec and settled in Château Richer. A ceremony to officially mark the change of leadership was held on 10 March 2021, and Marie-Phillippe and became the second head of state of Saint-Castin since its independence was declared in 2015.
On 26 October 2021, Saint-Castin officially inaugurated its new head of state, Newgravine Marie-Philippe. The ceremony, which had been delayed several times due to the country's health situation, was finally held on her birthday. She made her inaugural speech in front of the legislative council (Nekaussei)
On 5 January 2022, Saint-Castin made history by joining the Conference of Santiago, becoming the first North American micronation to join the esteemed organization. This marked a significant milestone for the country, as it allowed Saint-Castin to take its place on the global stage and showcase its unique culture and heritage to the world.
On 8 February 2022, Saint-Castin and Beremagne established a monetary union through the Saguenay Convention, creating the Laurentian Monetary Cooperative Union.[a] The convention established an official exchange rate of 0.05 euros for 1Ᵽ and created an organization to manage the currencies of the signatory nations. This union was a significant step for both countries, as it allowed them to strengthen their economic ties and collaborate on shared goals.
Saint-Castin also participated in the MicroCon 2022, which took place on 5 and 6 August 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. This event was an opportunity for the country to connect with other micronations and learn about the latest developments in the field.
Overall, the Newgraviate of Saint-Castin has undergone significant changes in recent years, with the adoption of a new constitution, the passing of a long-serving leader, and the ascension of a new head of state. The country has also made history by joining the Conference of Santiago and establishing a monetary union with Beremagne. Despite these changes, Saint-Castin remains committed to providing stability and prosperity for its people and promoting its unique culture and heritage on the world stage. The new government structure and constitution have allowed the country to better meet the needs of its citizens and provide a stable platform for future growth and development. The newgraviate is also committed to promoting sustainable development and protecting the environment, as well as fostering a strong sense of national identity and pride.
Geography
The territory of Saint-Castin is a unique and diverse area, composed of several enclaves within the Province of Quebec. These enclaves are divided into two provinces, Outaragasipi and Valinois, each of which is located in a distinct region of Quebec.
Outaragasipi is situated mainly on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, within the Lanaudière and Laurentians regions. Specifically, it is located in the valleys of the Mascouche, Achigan and L'Assomption rivers. This province is primarily situated in the laurentian piedmont, in close proximity to the city of Montreal.
Valinois, on the other hand, is generally located on the north shore of the Saguenay River, near the city of Chicoutimi. Some parts of the province are also located on the south shore, surrounded by the Bagotville area.
In addition to these two provinces, the territory of Saint-Castin also includes a claim to land near Antarctica, known as the Mandate of Adélie Coast. This unique and diverse territory offers a wide range of landscapes and experiences for those who visit or reside within its borders.
Politics and government
Government
In Saint-Castin, the form of government is a combination of a parliamentary system and a constitutional monarchy, with the Newgrave of Saint-Castin serving as the head of state. The day-to-day administration of the country is managed by the Minister-President, who acts as the head of government and presides over the Nekaussei, which is the legislative and executive council.
Foreign relations
As an active player on the world stage, Saint-Castin is a micronation that takes its foreign relations seriously. The nation is a proud founding member of the MicroFrancophonie, the premier French-speaking intermicronational organization.
On 5 October 2021, Saint-Castin made history as the first North American nation to join the Conference of Santiago. This was followed by the establishment of the Laurentian Monetary Cooperative Union with the Principality of Beremagne on February 6th, 2022, which was founded by the Newgraviate. The Laurentian Monetary Cooperative Union was transformed into the Laurentian Micronational Cooperative Union, a regional union, with the signing of the Saint-Jacques Convention on 11 march 2023 which includes now the Principality of Sancratosia. Within the Union, Saint-Castin forms the Piaster Zone with Principality of Beremagne.
Saint-Castin is also a strong supporter of international cooperation and has been among the first signatories of the Augusta Accord. The nation has also made a name for itself on the international stage by attending several major events such as the MicroCon in 2015, 2019, and 2022, as well as summits of the MicroFrancophonie in 2016 and 2018.
See also
References
Informational notes
Citations
External links
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