Wrythe

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Wrythe
Imperial Capital
Clockwise from top-left: the Imperial Residence, Wrythe Public Park, East Wrythe, and 2 Imperial Road.
Nickname: 
The Ninth Rome
Mottoes: 
Liber in Deo
(Latin: "Free under God")
Country Empire of Austenasia
Founded20 September 2008
Government
 • Pater PatriaeHIH Emperor Father Terry
Area
 • Total0 km2 (0.00010 sq mi)
Population
 • Total4
DemonymWrythian
Time zoneUTC
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)

Wrythe is the capital city of the Empire of Austenasia, and as the site of its foundation in 2008 serves as the historical and cultural centre of the country. It has an exclave situated roughly a third of a mile away, the Copanese embassy of East Wrythe.

Etymology

Wrythe is named after the road in the United Kingdom which runs past the Imperial Residence, Green Wrythe Lane. This takes its name from the area of the British town of Carshalton which it runs through for most of its length, known as the Wrythe, an area between (both in terms of location and age) the historic centre of the town and the more recently built St. Helier Estate. Two other roads, Wrythe Lane and Wrythe Green, also run through the Wrythe.

The word "Wrythe" itself, from which the area in the UK and hence the Austenasian capital gets its name, may come from the Anglo-Saxon "rið", meaning "streamlet", referring to the branch of the River Wandle which flows through the area. Alternatively, the name may come from the rye which was once grown in the area.

History

The area now comprising Wrythe was, in the 11th century, part of the Aultone estate in the Wallington hundred, held by Goisfrid de Mandeville after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The area was famous for its springs, "aul" meaning well or spring. The name of the area gradually changed to Cresaulton, suggesting that watercress was grown nearby. Eventually the estate became part of the modern British town of Carshalton.

Wrythe was founded on 20 September 2008 as the first piece of sovereign Austenasian territory. It was the only Austenasian land until 21 February 2009, when Glencrannog was annexed by the Empire. On 28 August 2009, the Austenasian Army invaded and occupied a small piece of adjoining land known as Commius Flats, which was annexed to the town the day afterwards.

During the Austenasian Civil War, the town of Wrythe was loyal to Emperor Esmond III. The then Princess Caroline was placed under low-security house arrest in the Imperial Residence, which was fortified against possible Carolinian incursions. The Imperial Regalia were stored in the Imperial Residence for safe-keeping, and Rose and Edd were used as guard dogs, patrolling Wrythe Public Park and the British alleyway near Commius Flats. Despite extensive preperations, Wrythe was never attacked during the entirety of the war.

During the War of the Orlian Reunification, Wrythe was surrendered to a threat of attack by the Midget Army by the then Crown Prince Jonathan, ending the orchestrated war as planned and resulting in Midget Master Declan V being appointed co-Emperor to Esmond III. Despite it initially being reported that the capital had been physically invaded after its defences were breached, it was later revealed that this was untrue, with the "surrender" being symbolic and for all intents and purposes a defection.

2011 saw the building of two monuments in Wrythe Public Park, the Wrythe Genocide Memorial and the Orange Pyramid. It also saw the acquisition of an Austenasian flag, which is flown from the Imperial Residence.

Upon the abdication of Declan I and ascension to the Throne of Jonathan I on 20 January 2013, Wrythe once more became residence to the Monarch for the first time since early 2010. Wrythe expanded with the annexation of East Wrythe, a nearby but non-contiguous area of land, as an embassy of Copan on 14 April 2014.

On Imperium Day in 2015 and 2018, the Imperial Library and the Imperial Numismatic Museum were respectively founded.

Wrythe was granted city status on 8 January 2017, thirteen years to the day that the now Imperial Family moved to the main property. On 28 May 2024, Parliament passed the Imperial Capital Act, giving Wrythe special status as the Imperial Capital, and granting it autonomy under the direct rule of the Pater Patriae.

Administration

The Imperial Capital is governed by the Pater Patriae, who administers the Imperial Capital autonomously and is responsible for its domestic governance, defence, and law enforcement. The incumbent Pater Patriae is Emperor Father Terry.

List of Representatives

Number Picture Name Political party Took office Left office Notes
1 HIH Crown Prince Jonathan Independent
(considered Monarchist; varied from social liberal to Theodorist)
20 Sep 2008 24 Dec 2011 Founder (and now Emperor) of Austenasia, proclaimed Representative of Wrythe in the Declaration of Independence. Sole member of Cabinet until April 2009. Confirmed as Representative by election on 1 January 2009 and re-elected on 1 January 2010 and 2011. Occupied and annexed Commius Flats in August 2009. Held office during the Terry I abdication crisis and subsequent Austenasian Civil War, overseeing defensive precautions taken against possible Carolinian attacks. Held office during the War of the Orlian Reunification, surrendered the town to the Midget Army during the Fall of Wrythe so as to make Midget Master Declan V co-Emperor. Occupied and re-annexed Tincomarus Department and unveiled Wrythe Genocide Memorial and the Orange Pyramid in 2011.
2
HIH Crown Princess Caroline Independent
(considered Social liberal)
24 Dec 2011 19 Nov 2013 Elected Representative, winning the Local Election against her brother the then Crown Prince. First Representative in Austenasian history to grant themselves a salary.
3
HIM Emperor Jonathan I Independent
(considered Romanitist)
19 Nov 2013 28 May 2024 Re-elected Representative. Oversaw the annexation of East Wrythe, and the granting of city status to Wrythe. Stood down upon the passage of the Imperial Capital Act.

Localities

The location of East Wrythe in relation to the rest of the City, surrounded by the United Kingdom, sizes and distances to scale (click to expand).


Wrythe consists of:

The Imperial Residence

A three bedroomed semi-detached house which is the residence of the Imperial Family and nominal meeting place of Parliament, with an adjoining driveway and patio, built in the late 1930s. Also known as 1 Imperial Road and 312 Green Wrythe Lane, the Imperial Residence is the centre of Wrythe.

Wrythe Public Park

A lawn, flowerbeds and patio between the Imperial Residence and 2 Imperial Road, home to all sorts of wildlife and the frequent visiting place of the Imperial Family. It features the Wrythe Genocide Memorial, Wrythe Pet Cemetery, and the remains of the Orange Pyramid.

2 Imperial Road

A one-roomed structure at the opposite end of Wrythe Public Park from the Imperial Residence, together with the adjoining pathways. Crown property used as a storage facility, the building was formerly used as a garage.

Commius Flats

Named after the first known ruler of the land of Wrythe, a King Commius, Commius Flats is a small area of cemented-over ground separated from Wrythe Public Park by 2 Imperial Road. It was originally state property under the Stewardship of the Ministry of Defence, and there were plans to transform it into a weapons testing site. However, in January 2010 its status was changed to public property.

On 27 January 2010, the half of Commius Flats furthest away from the Imperial Residence was renamed Tincomarus Department (after Commius' son and successor) and given to the Slinky Empyre, but this was re-annexed on 7 March 2011 after the Slinky Empyre and its self-declared successor state fell earlier that year.

East Wrythe

East Wrythe is situated apart from the rest of the City, separated by about one third of a mile of the United Kingdom. Comprised of a garden and patio, it is an embassy of the Kingdom of Copan and enjoys extraterritoriality, with Copanese rather than Austenasian law applying. It is administered by Queen Emma I of Copan, who lives in an adjoining house in the United Kingdom, and is the only embassy on Austenasian soil.

Transport

Two cars and a van are owned by Emperor Mother Margaret and Emperor Father Terry, and are often used to transport the residents of Wrythe where needed. Wrythe is also close to several public transport systems in the United Kingdom: the 151 (running from Worcester Park to Wallington) and 80 (running from Belmont to Hackbridge) bus routes run down Green Wrythe Lane, the road on which the Imperial Residence is built, and the 157 (running from Crystal Palace to Morden), 127 (running from Tooting to Purley), S1 (running from Banstead to Mitcham) and 280 (running from Sutton to Tooting) bus routes are all within a ten minute walking distance.

Carshalton railway station is a twenty minute walk away from Wrythe, and Sutton and Hackbridge railway stations are accessible via the nearby bus routes (151, 80 and S1 for Sutton and 151 and 127 for Hackbridge). Furthermore, Morden tube station is accessible via the 80 and 157 bus routes, giving access to the London Underground.