Kingdom of Navasse
United Kingdom of the Navasse | |
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 Flag
 Coat of arms
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| Motto: ‘Vires Sapientiae Virtus’ (Latin: "Strength, Wisdom, Virtue") | |
| Anthem: La Marche Royale | |
| File:Caribbean | |
| Capital | Cap-Paradis (official) |
| Official languages | English, French, Haitian Creole (Kréyol Ayisyen) |
| Demonym(s) | Navassois (Navazswa) |
| Government | Semi-Constitutional Monarchy |
• Queen | Marie-Adélina I |
| Establishment | 13 September 2017 |
| Currency | Coquilles |
| Time zone | EST |
The Navasse, officially the United Kingdom of the Navasse (French: Royaume-Uni de la Navasse; Haitian Creole: Wayòm Ini nan Lanavaz), is a micronation located in the Caribbean, claiming the the uninhabited island of Navassa (located between Jamaica and Haiti). Navasse’s government and royal court is based in Rochester, New York.
Founded in 2017 and inspired by the legacy of the former Kingdom of Haïti (1811-1820), Navasse functions as a sovereign nation-state, engaging with local, national and international organizations and groups. It is currently led by Queen Marie-Adélina I. A Black transwoman, she is a cognatic descendant of the late King Henry I of Haïti through his natural grandson, Pierre Nord Alexis.
Navasse’s policies focus on creating, advocating and supporting projects and programs that make a positive impact in communities. They have several areas of interest, from the defense of the rights of LGBTQ + people to the fight against child poverty and advancing equity for women. In 2022, Navasse established a charitable foundation, Fondation Royale de la Navasse, to continue its mission to support initiatives that positively impact communities.
Navasse joined La Microfrancophonie, an organization of French-speaking micronations, in 2019. Navasse became the organization's 17th member and the first from the Caribbean region.
In 2023, Navasse claimed the defunct throne of the Kingdom of La Gonâve to form the United Kingdom of the Navasse.
History
The earliest record of Navasse comes from 1504 when Christopher Columbus inadvertently discovered the island. Lacking drinkable water, his men named the island Navaza or plain and avoided the island for centuries.
With the signing of the Treaty of Ryswick in 1697, the island was transferred to France. It would remain part of the French territory of Saint-Domingue until the proclamation of Haïti on January 1, 1804. Several months after his coronation, revolutionary hero Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines rewarded the title Duc de la Navasse to Henry Christophe - at least, according to family legend. But after the assassination of Jean-Jacques I in 1806, Christophe and his followers traveled to the northern part of Haïti and established a separate government. In 1807, Henry was proclaimed President & Generalissimo of the State (northern) of Haïti. Four years later, he proclaimed himself King of Haïti and was crowned by Corneille Brelle, who had previously crowned Dessalines himself. Though Haïti was divided between the royal north and republican south, Henry I proclaimed himself ruler “of Tortuga, Gonâve, and other adjacent islands” - including Navasse.
King Henry sought to create a royal court on par with his European counterparts. From his Sans-Souci Palace in Milot, near the royal capital of Cap-Henry - now Cap-Haïtien - Henry was an ardent supporter of science and the arts. He established a cabinet government and nobility modeled after the British and ordered regalia from London to reinforce his majesty. Henry later created a codified constitution, the Code Henry, which promoted education and freedoms - though the King held most of the power.
A stroke in the summer of 1820, added to growing discontent fuelled by instigators from the republican South, brought the fall of King Henry’s reign that year. His family relocated to the Citadelle Laferrière, a fortification built to protect the kingdom from a purported French invasion. Refusing to see himself fall into the hands of his enemies, Henry shot himself on October 8, 1820. His son, the Prince Royal Victor-Henry - briefly recognized as King Henry II - was stabbed by insurgents ten days later. Henry I’s wife, Queen Marie-Louise, and daughters Princess Françoise-Améthyste and Princess Anne-Athénaïre left in exile to Europe, where they died in Italy.
Navasse changed hands but remained forever under the flag of Haïti. That is, until the mid-1800s. The U.S. Guano Islands Act of 1856 gave American citizens the right to take possession of uninhabited islands containing guano deposits. A year later, American sea captain Peter Duncan claimed the island - despite its longstanding claim by Haïti. Two years later, President James Buchanan issued an Executive Order upholding the claim - a decree still in effect today.
It is believed Henry I bequeathed the title of Princesse de la Navasse to his natural daughter, S.A.S. Blésine Georges, who married Count Nord Alexis in 1819. Her son, Pierre Nord Alexis, was born in Cap-Henry in 1820. Pierre spent his life in public service, serving as a provincial governor under Emperor Faustin I, followed by a stint as a war minister and a provisional government member in the country's northern part in 1869-70. Finally, in 1902, Pierre was elected President of Haïti. Remembering the stories of his late grandfather, he, too, dreamt of the days of the return of the Monarchy. He proclaimed himself President for Life in January 1908 and proposed a constitutional monarchy but was greatly opposed and forced into exile by the end of the year. Although his ideas of kingship never came into reality, he continued to have his inner circle and servants refer to him as the ‘King of the Navasse.’
After Pierre died in 1910, the title fell into abeyance until Pierre’s great-great-great-granddaughter, Marie-Adélina, assumed the throne as Queen on September 13, 2017.
Government and Politics
Navasse is a Semi-Constitutional Monarchy, with the Sovereign holding absolute authority per the Constitution. The Queen's Council (Conseil de la Reine) refers to the essential role of the monarch in making all decisions referring policies and consists of the Great Council (Grand Conseil) and the Privy Council (Conseil Privé).
HMs Chancellery
Her Majesty's Chancellery (Chancellerie de Sa Majesté) is made up of departments (secretariats) that support The Crown in carrying out its executive authority. There are currently six secretariats:
- Secretariat of Kingdom Affairs (Secrétariat des affaires du Royaume) - the seniormost of the secretariats; responsible for carrying out domestic policies.
- Secretariat of HM Treasury (Secrétariat du Trésor de Sa Majesté) - responsible for managing financial resources of Her Majesty's Chancellery and Crown-financed enterprises.
- Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (Secrétariat des affaires étrangères)- manages foreign policies and engagement for the Government, and ensures aid is spent in line with key Government policies.
- Secretariat of Humanitarian Affairs (Secrétariat des affaires humanitaires) - liaison office between the Chancellery and Fondation Royale de la Navasse, the micronation's charitable organization, and coordinates partnerships with key actors in the general community to uplift and empower those in need.
- Secretariat of the Royal Household (Secrétariat de la Maison Royale) - responsible for supporting the monarch and the royal house.
- Secretariat of Communications (Secrétariat des communications) - gathers and disseminates information regarding State activities; oversees press releases, official reports, website, news, and social media.
Royal Court
The Royal Court of Cap-Paradis (Cour Royale de Cap-Paradis) is the royal court for the Sovereign of the Navasse. All dignitaries and diplomatic representatives are accredited to and from the court. Nobles are also attached to the Royal Court. There are six ranks of nobility, from the lowly Seigneurie to Princedom, with accorded styles. Navasse is also the first entity in the world to offer gender-expressive titles of nobility.
The Royal Order of La Sirène is Navasse's sole order of chivalry.
Economy
The Crown plays an important role in the economy, serving as chief - if not sole - investor in commercial enterprises. Its biggest investment is in its Crown Sirène Coffee production, sourced from Haïti, which is sold primarily in the United States. The revenue generated from sales also supports Navasse's charitable foundation, with a portion of proceeds benefiting its charitable and fundraising activities.
The official currency of Navasse is the Coquilles (Symbol: C£; Code: CQ), with a rate of 1 CQ = .1 USD.