Empire of Somple

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The Empire of Somple was a North American micronation which was established sometime in 2001 or 2002 and dissolved in late 2009. Supposedly established on 20 June 1997, the earliest part of its long history was fabricated by its later rulers. On 22 March 2009, Somple became part of the Grand Empire of Fuzzel. It left Fuzzel in the summer of 2009 and briefly maintained semi-independence, now based in the west New Jersey area, until finally dissolving soon after August 2009.

Empire of Somple

A reconstruction of the Somplenese coat of arms
Flag
Motto: Freedom and Serenity
CapitalLAB (2001/2-4)
Fuzzel (2004-9)
Dyonisea (2009)
Official languagesEnglish
Demonym(s)Somplenese
GovernmentOligarchy
Establishment2001/2002
CurrencySomplenese Micro


Name

The name "Empire of Somple" was officially adopted in January 2007. Before then the Empire had no official name, being called "the Reich", "the Empire" or "the Red Ribbon Empire". Towards the end of its history the Empire of Somple ceased to be imperialist, but as it was ruled by a monarch who claimed the title "emperor" it was still called an empire. The name Somple was first used in 2005 but was not adopted officially for another 2 years.

National symbols

The national anthem of Somple was "Little Fatherland Somple", to be sung to the tune of "Fehrbelliner Reitermarsch". This was officially adopted as the national anthem in July 2008.

The coat of arms was made up of two trees with an eye between them. This was adopted in 2009. The Empire of Somple had several nicknames, including "The Aristocratic Microstate" and "The Fairly Tale Micronation".

History

Early history

According to an official history of Somple created by its leaders, the country was established on 20 June 1997 by Timmy I (Somple's first emperor) and several others. On 5 July, Somple declared war on the newly-founded copycat "Kingdom of Mike" after it claimed LAB, the capital of Somple. This started a war which lasted until February 2001 with the surrender, conquest and annexation of the Kingdom of Mike by Somple. However, the damage caused by the war led to Timmy I abdicating due to unpopularity in favour of distinguished military commander Jack, who took the regnal name of Timmy II Jack but abdicated a few months later due to dislike of politics. This early history of Simple is known to have been entirely fabricated.

Somple was in reality founded in either 2001 or 2002. The official history states that Timmy II Jack was succeeded by Matt I, who reigned until 2003 under an autocratic government until being replaced by Adam I. It is possible that the reign of Matt I was also fabricated - or at least an exaggerated version of real events - but Adam I is the first Somplenese emperor who can be said with certainty to have existed. If Adam I was the first actual monarch of Somple, then there would have been a period of up to two years when the country existed without an official head of state - this is plausible, as Somple is known to have been governed primary by a group of aristrocrats rather than its formal leaders.

Adam I ruled over a "golden age" with expansion of land claims and the military, and the establishment of banks. The first chancellor, Kenshin, was appointed. However, between 27 May and 19 July 2004, the official history states that Somple went to war with a nation called Cody's Empire, the ruler of which defeated Adam I and became the new Somplenese emperor. Later sources state that this "Cody War", although based on a real rebellion, was greatly exaggerated by the official history.

Cody was soon overthrown, leaving Somple in chaos. On 20 September 2004 a constitution was drafted in hopes of restoring order, with Chancellor Kenshin taking the throne as Emperor Kevin I. On 28 December 2004 the Somplenese capital was moved to Fuzzel, in Indiana.

On 5 August 2005, Kevin I abdicated in favour of Empress Vogel I. During her reign the Vogel National Bank was established, and a Somplenese currency was first used in October 2005. The Vogel National Bank soon became corrupt and by May 2006 it collapsed.

On 16 September 2006, Somplenese government leaders established a colony called POMHB. However, POMHB soon declared independence and after several rebellions was recognized by Somple as independent on 25 October 2007. The two countries went to war again the following year (between 27 January and 23 July 2008), which resulted in a Somplenese victory and the annexation of POMHB, although it had become at least semi-independent again as a kingdom by the start of 2009.

War with Molossia

On 4 March 2009, the Empire of Somple, Kingdom of POMHB, and Kingdom of Belaronia (a neighbouring micronation founded in late 2008) officially declared war on the Republic of Molossia, ostensibly due to their view that the Molossian war with East Germany was a scam to raise money through selling "war bonds", but also to gain recognition through declaring war on such a well-known micronation. On 7 March 2009, Somple and Belaronia surrendered and withdrew from the war, but POMHB refused to do so. Belaronia invaded POMHB to force it to make peace with Molossia, annexing 90% of it.

Post-Molossian War

On 9 March 2009, Leopold Evans of the Somplenese Militarist Party was appointed chancellor by Kevin I. Two days later, after relations with Belaronia broke down due them having annexed the majority of POMHB, Evans declared war on Belaronia, defeating it on 19 March, conquering POMHB and creating several puppet states out of occupied Belaronian territory.

On 22 March 2009, Somple joined the new Grand Empire of Fuzzel under Kevin I and Leopold Evans as they unified Somple, Belaronia, and the numerous recently-founded puppet states into a single large state. However, Fuzzel dissolved on 7 April the following month. A few months later, the Empire of Somple was revived on a much smaller scale in west New Jersey under a M. Jones, but finally dissolved soon after August.

Census records

The National Census of the Somple began in 2007 and was taken once per year.

  • 2007 Census (19 July 2007): 19 people
  • 2008 Census (24 July 2008): 22 people
  • 2009 Census (2 August 2009): 6 people

Culture

People were allowed to practice any religion in the Empire of Somple that was recognised as a religion by the government. The Somplenese government recognised any religion with more than 24 people in it.

In 2007 a bill was passed making Englsih the official language of the Empire of Somple. All citizens had to be able to speak English fluently.

Government and politics

The government of Somple was always authoritarian in practice. Despite the dozen constitutions that Somple had between 2004 and 2008, the government was continually regarded as corrupt and autocratic. Real power in the empire was held by several shadowy aristocrats who appear to have used most of the emperors and chancellors as puppets if not figureheads, with Chancellor Leopold Evans eventually rising to prominence amongst them to seize power in the late empire. By early 2009, the leaders had begun to try to establish democracy in Somple.

Few of the emperors held much real power and the first few (Timmy I, Timmy II Jack, and possibly Matt I) were mere inventions created by the leaders of Somple. The Emperor (also sometimes referred to as Kaiser) of Somple was the country's head of state. The power of the emperors fluctuated depending on the times. Some of the powers of the office were defined in the Nine Unchangeable Laws of Somple.

  • Timmy I: 20 June 1997 - 4 March 2001. Fabricated. Alleged to have been born in 1992 and gone to war over LAB (see above) before abdicating due to unpopularity caused by the long war.
  • Timmy II Jack: 4 March 2001 - 1 June 2001. Fabricated. Alleged to have been born in 1990 and a distinguished commander during the LAB War, took the regnal name of Timmy in honour of his predecessor and abdicated due to a dislike of politics despite being very popular.
  • Matt I: 4 March 2001 - 2003. May or may not have been fabricated. Alleged to have been born in 1991 and to have been known for a poor attitude and autocratic government.
  • Adam I: 2003 - 19 July 2004. Born in 1991. Ruled over a "golden age" but was forced to abdicate after being defeated in battle by Cody I.
  • Cody I Fucefort: 19 July 2004 - 31 July 2004. Born in 1992. Seized power from Adam I but was forced from the throne by revolts.
  • Interregnum: 31 July 2004 - 20 September 2004.
  • Kevin I (first reign): 20 September 2004 - 5 August 2005. Born in 1990. The same individual as Chancellor Kenshin, had been Somplenese head of government since 2003. Acceeded to the throne upon the implementation of a new constitution and oversaw the reconstruction of Somple after the Cody War before abdicating in favour of Vogel I.
  • Vogel I: 5 August 2005 - 1 September 2008. Born in 1953, the only female monarch of Somple. Her age and the manner in which she gained the throne suggest she may have been mother of Kevin I. Ceremonial monarch, with administration carried out by Chancellor Kenshin (the same individual as her predecessor and successor Kevin I). Deposed in unclear circumstances.
  • Interregnum: 1 September 2008 - 14 December 2008.
  • Kevin I (second reign): 14 December 2008 - 22 March 2009. Retook the throne of Somple before merging it with other nations to form the Grand Empire of Fuzzel, of which he was its first emperor.

The first two Chancellors of Somple held office under old constitutions and did not always exercise power effectively.

  • Kenshin: 2003 - December 2008. The same individual as Kevin I (see above). Appointed chancellor by Adam I.
  • Vogel: December 2008 - 9 March 2009. Born 1994. Appointed chancellor by Kevin I. Probably related to Vogel I - possibly her son (making him the possible brother of Kenshin/Kevin I). Served mainly as a figurehead, but lost popularity after the Somplenese-Molossian War.
  • Leopold Evans: 9 March 2009 - 22 March 2009. Born 14 July 1992. Appointed chancellor by Kevin I. Regarded as a dictator. Became Chancellor of the Grand Empire of Fuzzel upon its creation.
  • Somple becomes part of Fuzzel
  • M. Jones: fl. August 2009. Attempted to revive Somple after the dissolution of Fuzzel but failed to create a lasting viable state.

Nations with alliances or friends of Somple


Wars that Somple was involved in