Principality of Shiveryia
Principality of Shiveryia Principatum Shiveryia (Latin) | |
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 Flag
 Emblem
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| Motto: "Ab Oceano Magno Libertas" (Latin) "Freedom from the Great Ocean" (English) | |
 Location of Shiveryia | |
.webp) Knock John Naval Fort | |
| Status | Uninhibited platform off coast of England |
| Location | 16.1 kilometres (9 nmi) from the coast off Essex |
| Capital | Knock John Naval Fort |
| Capital-in-exile | Rhode Island |
| Official languages | English |
| Demonym(s) | Shivese |
| Government | Constitutional semi-absolute monarchy |
• Prince | Grant Taylor |
| Establishment | 9 June 2023 |
| Population | |
• 2006 census | 0 |
| Currency | Shivese Dollar |
| Date format | dd-mm-yyyy |
The Principality of Shiveryia (pronunciation: shi-vr-ee-uh), or simply Shiveryia is a self-proclaimed sovereign state, commonly viewed as a micronation off the coast of Essex 16.1 kilometres (9 nmi). Shiveryia calls itself the sister micronation of Sealand. Shiveryia is not recognized by any sovereign state, and is seen internationally as a historical naval fort left preserved for history like Sealand was.
Shiveryia has claimed its sovereignty since 9 June 2023, though plans to make Shiveryia date back to 9 August 2022 but plans were never put through because at the time it was unknown of what type of government it would be. Shiveryia almost was founded on 24 January 2023 as a republic but the idea of a artifical island fort near 2 monarchies which are the United Kingdom and the Principality of Sealand.
Etymology
The name Shiveryia is just a modified version of the word "Shivery" with the addition of "yia" at the end, which the name is pronounced shi-vr-ee-u. The name "Shiveryia" was choosen by Shiveryia as it is similar to the Shivering Sands Army Fort that Shiveryia was formerly located on.
History
Pre-history (Pre-border change)
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The towers were built on land and floated out in 1943. Later in the war, the equipment was replaced, and removed soon after. The forts were abandoned in 1958. In the 1960s, some weather equipment was installed in the searchlight tower. On 7 June 1963, a boat called the Ribersborg collided with one of the towers, which fell into the sea without harming anyone or sinking the boat.
In 1964 Screaming Lord Sutch set up Radio Sutch (a pirate radio station) on one of the old towers. However, he soon became bored and handed the project to his friend and unpaid manager Reginald Calvert, who then expanded into all five towers that were still connected and called it Radio City. After Calvert was killed by Oliver Smedley, his wife took over for a short time before the project was closed by legislation and the towers again abandoned.
In 1990, the top of the searchlight tower was cut away so that helicopters could be used to maintain the weather equipment inside. In 1992, it was decided that the tower was no longer necessary for the continued operation of the instruments contained within, and a large buoy was placed next to the tower for the same purpose.
In August and September 2005, artist Stephen Turner spent six weeks living alone in the searchlight tower of the Shivering Sands Fort, in what he described as "an artistic exploration of isolation, investigating how one's experience of time changes in isolation, and what creative contemplation means in a 21st-century context"
Pre-history (post-border change)
The Knock John Fort was grounded on 1 August 1942. It was decommissioned on 14 June 1945 and evacuated on 25 June 1945. The platform was maintained until May 1956 when it was abandoned. In 2009, it was observed that there was a slight distortion of the legs when viewing the tower from west to east. It is thought that underscouring is the cause of this.
Pre-foundation
The first idea for Shiveryia happened on 9 August 2022, but the idea didn't go any further as there was no idea for a functional government. A addition to the idea came up on 24 January 2023 to found a republic on the fort, but the idea was shot down as a republic between two monarchies would not work. The final idea was made on 9 June 2023 to make a constitutional semi-absolute monarchy which toke place founding the Sealandic Principality of Shiveryia.
Modern history
The Sealandic Principality of Shiveryia, not to be confused for being apart of Sealand. A hour after its founding, the name changed to the Principality of Shiveryia as Shiveryia did not want to be confused for being part of the Principality of Sealand. After it changed its name, the Principality of Shiveryia started drafting its declaration of independence to become a man-made independent nation like the Principality of Sealand. Shiveryia's declaration of independence was finished 6 hours after its founding only having one page, and not a lot of text as later found Shiveryia would not be recognized just like Sealand was not recognizes by the British after declaring itself independent.
Later on 10 June 2023, Shiveryia moved her borders to the Knock John Fort as the Shivering Sands Army Fort was more unstable and dangerous compared to the Knock John Fort which is a navy class fort the same as the Principality of Sealand. The Knock John Fort would be made the permeant home of Shiveryia as it is more secure, bigger, and a single lone platform rather than multiple platforms. Despite the platform being rusty and dirty, the Knock John Fort is more secure making it the reason for the border change of Shiverya. The fort is taller than the Principality of Sealand as it is in shallower water, and it also still has its gun mount ontop.
Legal status
According to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, there is no transitional law and no possibility to consent to the existence of a construction which was previously approved or built by a neighbouring state. This means that artificial islands may no longer be constructed and then claimed as sovereign states, or as state territories, for the purposes of extension of an exclusive economic zone or of territorial waters. Since like the Principality of Sealand, the fort is considered a sunken ship, it would be necessary for his Majesty's Crown Estate (which owns the land itself under the tower) to act as the complainant landlord in order to get the wreck removed from its property. If Shiverya is a sunken ship rather than an artificial island then no claim to statehood can be made, as a ship cannot constitute the "permanent" territory required for statehood to be established.
Unlike Sealand which was built in international waters during the time of its building, Shiveryia was built inside British waters in the Thames Estuary. Since Siveryia is a man-made artificial platform, it marks it as not a valid sovereign nation which according to the german court to Sealand, they "cannot be called either 'a part of the earth's surface' or 'land territory' and only structures which make use of a specific piece of the earth's surface can be recognised as State territory within the meaning of international law."