Constança - A Princess Amidst Winds of Change

[Hugoland]

Introductory Note


«Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go.» (Jo XXI:18)​

This thread will follow the life of the 19 year-old Princess Contança, heir apparent of the Hugolandian throne, and will accompany her through some difficult choices, the most visible being the choice of whether to accept being proposed to the Royal Court as Princesa do Lima (Princess of Lima), i.e. as the official heir to the Hugolandian throne.

However, she will find herself amidst old dilemmas, indeed, she will face and attempt to find a path out of the great dilemma that traditionalists/conservatives face when History - the Winds of Change - seems to be headed for the destruction of traditional values, and, ultimately, to the self-destruction of reason: "the dictatorship of relativism", to quote Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

Are all traditions good? What should we keep as perennial, what should we let go as transitory?

Through this journey of the intellect, which is also a journey of faith, the history of Princess Costança will, undoubtedly, reflect my own personnal intellectual journey. I hope it can help me gaining a better understanding of myself, and I will be glad if it can be useful for others.

Oporto, on the 11[SUP]th[/SUP] of May of 2013,

Hugo​

 

[Hugoland]

Sardinheiras Palace, New Mercoburg, Hugoland
07:00 - 10/05/1953

Punctually, two knocks on the door woke up Constança. One second later, a woman still in her nightdress entered the room.

- Constança dear, good morning!
- Good morning, mother!

Indeed, the woman in nightdress was not a maid, but Sofia, the Queen of Hugoland. Sofia was not born a queen, and her noble ascendency was neither even particularly notorious nor relevant. She had met her husband - the future king Bonifatius IV - outside any formal event. She was a primary school teacher who used to attend mass daily in the church where the then Prince of Lima, heir of the Hugolandian throne, would anonymously attend mass when possible during the week, as the church was very close to the Naval Academy.
In a rainy day the Prince had forgotten his umbrella, and, as he prepared himself for a run to the Academy building, he was surprised when a woman’s voice addressed him:

- You are going to reach the Academy in a pitiful state, officer. I have enough time.

The Prince looked surprised, but smiled and, with a small bow, showed his acceptance. He grabbed Sofia’s umbrella and gave her his arm. She took his arm with a timid smile, and kept her eyes on the floor, as if she were deep in her thoughts.

- I cannot thank you enough, Miss…?
- Please, officer! You can call me by my first name – Sofia. And you are…?

Bonifatius hesitated for a second, but then replied with his first name – Carlos - albeit he seldom used it, as he was usually called by his second name - Bonifácio – which, in its latin version as costumary in Hugoland, would later be his regnal name.

- Carlos. I’m studying at the Naval Academy, as you might have noticed by my uniform.
- Yes, it wasn’t hard to tell. I am surprised: a navy officer that spends his lunch time praying?
- Haha! I’m not that mortified. I do have lunch, despite attending Mass during lunchtime!
- So do I, but it is a rare sight to see such devotion!
- What a compliment! Thank you. I confess I have been noticing your presence at Church also. And I also think your devotion is sincere and unaffected. You look like a very compassionate person. Let me guess: are you a nurse, a teacher?
- A teacher, yes!

Bonifatius stopped and, gaining courage, faced her and, under the midst of the mysterious rain and mist of March, asked:

- Since I am currently indebted to you, for your kind gesture and even kindler compliment, and since we have both been in fast for some time now, would you accept an invitation to lunch?
- Certainly, but… now?
- Yes! Do you have any preference for the restaurant?

And so started a love story that would lead a simple primary school teacher to the throne. The history, however, was not uncommon in the Hugolandian Monarchy. Since Hugo II, the “Philosopher King” who reigned from 1808 to 1843, considered the “Great Re-founder” of the Hugolandian Nation, and the great inspiration for what later became known as the “National Movement”, that a policy of avoiding major interferences in the formation of marital unions was adopted, i.e. the practice of marriage for raison d’état was abandoned.

- The breakfast will be served within 30 minutes, Constança. Today we have a beautiful spring day, by the way!

After Queen Sofia closed the door, Constança closed her eyes for some seconds, saying a silent prayer, as she always did. Then she opened her eyes and, looking around, began thinking on what her day at the university would be like. Constança was studying Psychology at the University of Mercoburg, and the exams season was not very far away.

She was almost 19 years old, and knew that soon – within one or two years - a most serious, life-changing decision would have to be taken. She was to accept or reject being officially nominated as heir to the throne, which would imply the assumption of enormous responsibilities, the most visible being the need of spending 7 years studying in the Academies of the four branches of the Hugolandian Military: the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the Royal Guard.

After taking a shower, dressing up elegantly but casually – as she always did for university – with a simple green cotton dress, and after a quick make-up, she rushed to the kitchen, where the Royal Family would take its informal breakfasts. As she walked quickly through the corridor, she found her father in his Army uniform.

- Good morning father – she said, while kissing her father twice in the cheeks, as it is usual in Hugoland – why are you dressed up like that?
- My dearest Constança! I hope you had a good night of sleep. I have something to propose to you: within half an hour a most important meeting with the State Minister, the Foreign Minister and some of my advisors will take place due to a coup d’état that is taking place in Saaremaa. Now, you are not forced to go – you do not have this responsibility - but I think it would be good for you to take part in this meeting. Of course, we would inform the University that due to State matters you could not attend classes this morning.

This was absolutely the first time that such an invitation appeared. No doubt, for her father she was becoming – she had became – a woman. She accepted.

 

[Hugoland]

Sardinheiras Palace, New Mercoburg, Hugoland
8:00 – 10/05/1953

The meeting table was set in the Room of the Council, with all the advisors – including Princess Contança – in their seats. Every assistant, maid and footmen had left the room, as the King was about to arrive. At the entrance, on the exterior, two Royal Guards in ceremonial clothing but holding modern rifles guarded the door.

Inside the room, the only company to the advisors was a painting of the most celebrated moment in Hugolandian history, the entrance of Hugo, the Duke of Mercoburg and first King of Hugoland, in the town of Ponte do Lima. The placement of such painting in that particular room was, obviously, a reminder to all those who entered there of the glory of the Nation they are called to serve when they advise the monarch of Hugoland. And it was, of course, a reminder to the monarch himself that the standards were high.

When King Bonifatius appeared, the guards presented weapons. The King entered, the advisors stood up. Two footmen entered the room and, after everone was seated, left the room closing the door.

- Gentlemen – started the King – as you noticed, today I invited a very special advisor for this meeting, my oldest daughter, Princess Contança. I ask her to feel at ease and urge her not to hesitate in intervening in our meeting. As to the subject of our meeting, all of you were informed of the situation. The scenario is highly delicate. Our analysts, many of you and myself saw this happening: a coup d’état broke up in Saaremaa, with the potential consequences being yet unclear. We offered a mediation proposal, but it was, to put it bluntly, completely ignored. Could the Foreign Minister please briefly explain us the situation? Then I’ll make some remarks, and then I want to hear from you. We need to leave this meeting with an official stance on this issue.
- Thank you, Your Majesty. Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, Excellencies, to keep it extremely short, as you already know the essentials, the monarchy in Saaremaa has been losing prestige and support, the country seems politically divided in two, with the communists and the fascists creating huge instability. The polls show the population is highly upset with the royal institution, and many within the armed forces believe that a military junta is the only way to restore peace. A group of Generals issued a declaration, which all of you have read and to which we have responded – but to no avail – which was basically a military pronouncement. In the last hours, they have already constituted a provisional government. Our analysts believe the rebellious forces have a high probability of succeeding in their coup d’état attempt.


The King consulted his notes, drank some water and proceeded to his comment on the situation:


- I hope this serves as a lesson to myself and to all of us. As our great King Hugo II said, “A King should rule over its people, but, because to rule is to serve, a King cannot rule against the people. A King should never be a populist, but cannot rule without popular support”. If the monarchy loses its prestige, it is worthless. I believe this also shows clearly the mistake of the partidocratic regimes, so common nowadays, where groups of people are praised for dividing the Nation into two or more camps. As to our position: we surely cannot support such a coup, especially as it targets a royal family that still deserves our respect. However, that country has fallen into a state of pre-anarchy , the King, with all due respect, is 16 years-old and clearly unprepared for such a complex situation. He is regarded as a puppet, and that is the political death-sentence of a ruler. And, as our Foreign Minister mentioned, the Military Junta will probably will be able to gain control. Opinions, thoughts?

A brief moment of silence followed, where those in the room looked at each other. Everybody expected Pedro Tomáz, the very experienced 67 year-old State Minister who was, on these days, one month away from his retirement, after 12 years leading the government, to be the first one to talk. Tomáz, after a hiatus of a few seconds to finish writing a note, was indeed the first to opine.

- Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, Excellencies… I would say that this situation is particularly delicate to us, because we are, politically, ideologically, caught somewhere in the middle of these two positions. On one side, a monarchy which was attempting – and failing – to keep the country running within… how shall we call it? Within a legal framework? And, on the other side, the military which, faced with a situation of national decadence, decided to take action. I believe the first thing we must attempt to achieve is to avoid violence, to avoid a civil war, to avoid bloodshed. And, realistically speaking, given the odds, we must attempt to moderate the Military Junta and avoid unnecessary resistance by the loyalists. This might seem, at first sight, a despicable attitude, but geopolitics commands politics, and I believe the best to be done here is to save lives and avoid a larger tragedy.

Silence ensued, with most advisors taking notes. Although some advisors seemed renitent, the argument was convincing. Princess Contança wrote a note: “Remember: striving for perfection does not invalidate that, in practical matters, perfection is enemy of good”.

The King intervened:

- I agree with Tomáz. Avoiding bloodshed is our priority. We should, however, at least attempt to do more, and, if possible, save the monarchy, even if not the current monarchy, nor the current monarch. Let’s see if the Junta would accept another person in the throne, thus ensuring some kind of institutional continuity. We already have a shortlist of potential names. Let us see what we can do.

The Foreign Minister announced that Hugoland had obtained authorization to send a small diplomatic team to Saaremaa. The team would be chosen within the next few hours by the King and depart as soon as possible.

Before concluding the meeting, the Foreign Minister read a draft of the communication that would be made in that same day by the Ministry. After a brief discussion of details, the King approved the message, gave a quick handshake to everyone in the room, and was followed by his daughter when leaving, and they headed to the gardens.

The King was curious to know her daughter’s impressions on the meeting. However, she was, first of all, her daughter, and, in order to alleviate all the accumulated stress, made questions about her studies and her occupations instead.

 

[Hugoland]

Sardinheiras Palace, New Mercoburg, Hugoland
09:45 – 10/05/1953

Princess Contança told her father she was confident for her exams, although she was having some trouble with the subject of Advanced Statistics. Bonifatius, who had obtained a Master’s in Economics, offered his help, if necessary.

- Thank you, father, you’re so kind! Yes, perhaps I’ll accept your help!

The King smiled. Of course he could simply hire a Statistician to help her daughter, but he could not miss this opportunity to spend time with his daughter, which, he thought, had grown up so quickly.

- Contança, what about the Council?
- Quite impressing. I was impressed by the words of the State Minister. He is extremely intelligent.
- Yes, he is very experienced. As you know, he will soon retire, but I think we have many options to replace him. Indeed, in principle I’ll appoint Romeu Vinhas, but we’ve got other concerns now…
- Exactly father. I have a request to make. It’s about our diplomatic mission. The Foreign Ministry announced that, in principle, a member of the Royal Family would join this mission…
- Yes, I’m thinking about your uncle Jorge.
- But I want to go there myself! Please, father!

Bonifatius could not believe what he had heard. He paused and looked at her, and remained in deep thought for thirty seconds that seemed like thirty minutes to Constança.

- Alright. Knowing you as I do, I believe there is nothing I could say to change your mind, Constança. But what about the university, your exams?
- Father, this will only take me some days. Do not worry, I will take my books with me.

Bonifatius laughed.

- Very well. Then, prepare your stuff. I will inform the Foreign Ministry. You will be accompanied by four very experienced diplomats and by two assistants, who are, in fact, members of our intelligence services. You will receive a dossier on this issue before lunch, and, if memory doesn’t fail me, you will depart somewhere around 9PM, today.

Constança hugged her father, thanked him and went straight to her room. She looked at herself in the mirror and there was no doubt: she had grown up, she was now a woman. But would she be, one day, a queen?