Drieheerenlanden

[Great Engellex]

The National Ambitions
Drieheerenlanden​

17th October 1953
Kasteel Duivenvoorde, just outside Leidschendam, Lisse

Despite the fact that a smart black automobile, quite escaping the grasp of ownership for the majority of Lisser peoples, had carried the ancient gentleman of court to Kasteel Duivenvoorde (official residence of Adelheid II), the footman simply eyed the guest with a silent preoccupation - and then, after a moment, proceeded to ask who he intended to see. Hare Majesteit de Koningin, the guest replied, with such quiet, patronizing intonation which was found quite proper to a man of significance who had grown old in society and at court. He was Frederik III's representative to the court of Adelheid - Commissarie van de Koning, Hendrik Merkus de Kock. He was wearing an embroidered court uniform, of a black and sober variation quite representative of the calvinist realm under Frederik, with matching shoes and a brilliantly coloured sash. The footman declared the arrival. Excellent, Hendrik replied, without changing his voice and in a tone in which one could discern mockery.

Just as Hendrik reached the bottom of the staircase, a portly man in a more cheerful of court uniforms came marching down, it was one of Adelheid's private secretarys. He received Hendrik in silence, and with a welcomed look. What did the bishops have to say? Hendrik asked, in a frustrated monotone. They are still with the Queen, the secretary replied. Hendrik stared at the fellow, before responding to the information by shaking his head and levelling a frigid, offensive observation toward the corridor above them - where the queen held the audience. I suspect my entrance may be an ordeal that the bishops should never forgive her Majesty for, Hendrik spoke, with a calmness and courtesy that the secretary bowed. The Prince-Archbishop of Hillegom would often clash privately with Frederik III should he desire policy adoption or alteration, and so, as a natural consequence, the Prince-Archbishop focused his argument and persuasion upon Adelheid II. The frustrations of Frederik extended beyond his person, to influence his ministers and commissioners, thus it was always with resentment that Hendrik should be dutiful in representing the king at a castle guaranteed to be bustling with the intriguing catholic bishops.

As the two gentleman on the stairs conversed, they observed rather suddenly how the audience with the queen was becoming increasingly more animated - they could quite clearly hear the arguments being made by the queen's ministers and those of the bishops. The more senior of the bishops forming the small delegation from Hillegom informed Adelheid and her ministers, including Gerrit Thorbecke, Count Schimmelpenninck - the foreign affairs secretary who they explicity asked to also be there, that the Prince-Archbishop will be forming an aggressive frontier against communism in an address to the States-General. What concerned Adelheid and Schimmelpenninck especially, was that the address was to pay particular attention to suspected financial support to terror and violence by certain communist nations against Cantignia. But why should we involve ourselves in those affairs - the hazard to this kingdom is especially great, argued Schimmelpinninck. The senior bishop of the delegation was Franciscus Josefus van Vree, a tall, thin-faced grey man who supported the ambitions of his Prince-Archbishop. The reasoning is perfectly apparent, Franciscus said. The communist hydra is quite aware of the lack of cohesion amongst states of this continent, and his Highness cannot remain silent and simply observe the -ism threaten this kingdom, and the civilisation of this continent - the sacredness of our christendom, he placed empasis on the word our, as if to assure that this was not an interest solely for the catholic peoples. Schimmelpenninck slammed his palm against the table in frustration, angering the queen, you want a crusade - they always want a crusade!

Franciscus returned to Adelheid, and politely reminded her that herself and Frederik were unable to conceal matters, however casual, from the Prince-Archbishop. Should they secure a foothold in Cantignia.. he begun , then paused, to ensure he had Schimmelpinninck's attention too. What possibilities exist for a success of a colonial enterprise in the south? Adelheid refused to confirm or deny any discussions on such a topic, though foolishly cast a glance at Schimmelpinninck. The address will not be endorsed, the queen calmly informed the bishops, but it shall not be condemned by me. I do, however, request that you persuade the Prince-Archbishop to remove any and all definitions for war or confrontation from it. I should regard it as a personal favour.

 

[Great Engellex]

The Scarlet Court
Drieheerenlanden​

28th October 1953
Gravenzaal, central Leidschendam, Lisse

The shattering and destruction of a corridor of ancient windows in the gothic, renaissance palace that was the Gravenzaal - seat of the States-General, and location of the government cabinet offices to the Minister President, echoed throughout the creaking building. It was late October, and many communities along the northern coastline of Lisse refer to it as storm season - nothing compared to the thundering behemoths of Occidentia and Toyou, but October certainly provided the sleepy kingdom with a certain severity in her weather patterns. Hans Willem Bentinck (van Diepenheim van Schooneten), the Minister President of Lisse, peered at Willem Frederk Rochussen (Internal Affairs) with a sort of sympathy or maybe exhaustion. Willem, he begun, you are most certainly over-concerned with the curiousities of Hillegom. Do not draw political lines with the prince-archbishop, it has provided no benefit to this kingdom, ever. We lost the initiative over his address. Now, he said, before rising to cross the vast, wood panelled room inorder to close the door. We do stand a chance of getting something quite substantial from the efforts of the prince-archbishop without much effort at all on ours, or their Majesties' part. Rochussen observed Bentinck's return march to his desk, through the swirling plumes of smoke produced by his cigar habit, unable to see the point the Minister President was persuading him to. I do not quite share your vision. I really do not see your point, Rochussen replied. Even still, what will the king make of it? He will not idly accept the liberal reign of the prince-archbishop here - call it a frustration if you will, but that consideration remains.

I tell you, great benefit will come from permitting this circus of his. I believe we may all be surprised by what can be secured from the diplomatic reach of Hillegom, replied Bentinck. Secured for whom? Rochussen asked. To the bishops who enjoy an indulgence that already begs the provocation of the north? Bentinck placed his left hand upon a leather-bound file with a studded brass plaque on the front detailing much :- The Crown Enterprise. Willem, the Minister President said, they see my point. Their Majesties will follow me in this. You will come to see, the age old man reassured.

The Prince-Archbishop was alone in the Oval Gallery, where he usually receives, standing at a window looking out over the grounds of his magnificient residence, just outside the city of Hillegom. He could always find delight in this palace, which he and those who he succeeded regarded as taking precedence over the royal residences of the Crown. Here was opulence of a kind not seen anywhere else in Lisse; the walls were hung with the finest paintings and tapestry in Lisse; throughout the palace were exquisite collections of furniture and treasures which proclaimed the wealth and supremacy of their owner - the Tiburan Catholic Church. The residence was not a personal holding of the prince-archbishop, but a part of the Estate of the Archbishopric of Hillegom. The prince-archbishops had not cared previously or presently that many whisperings in the kingdom spoke of the palace being of more magnificence than those of the Crown - that was how they had all wished it to be. The Prince-Archbishop's Court openly encouraged ostentation. It did not care for the sneering of the Calvinist aristocrats. Afterall, this particular Prince-Archbishop of Hillegom was determined to see his life achieve a triumph within Lisse; he was determined to see to the alteration of the Lisser constitution - recognising the Prince-Archbishop with a formal capacity within the sovereignty of the kingdom. Above the current dual-monarchy if he could manage it.

He smoothed the scarlet satin of his robes, and smiled. He felt the enjoyment of wealth, and knew that feeling of having power. His beaming smile was a consequence of that greater feeling of seeing that power grow.

There was a special banquet and ball that day at the palace; koningin Adelheid was to be received by the Prince-Archbishop with great formality and festivities before they both retire to the drawing rooms to discuss affairs privately the following day. He had not specifically, or technically invited the queen to the palace, it was privately assumed that Adelheid made the move to test the atmosphere of his court and achieve a degree of private understanding between herself and the prince-archbishop in respect to what his ambitions are. The theatrics of the address to the States-General on communism was something quite unusual in Lisse, and it obviously unsettled the queen. As the prince-archbishop brooded, an especially young man of neat blonde hair, and good height, came to the door of the chamber and craved his master's indulgence for disturbing him, but the Commissaris van de Koning was determined for an audience with the prince-archbishop. He did not speak for a second. There was a sudden frustration over what possibly could interest the commissioner, especially considering the mutual disinclination.

He turned around to address the adolescent, so still that he appeared like a statue of alabaster with sapphire eyes, so gorgeously apparelled that he looked like a member of the catholic aristocracy. For there was a great difference. The prince-archbishop felt a stirring warmth at his creation, quickly finding it within him to pass a personal forgiveness upon the young man for disturbing the peace. Upon the receivership of such a gift, the young man did not hesitate in providing full courtesy and graces to his Highness, in thanks, and also to allow the prince-archbishop to swiftly attend to the tiring affair of tolerating Calvinism within the most catholic of palaces in the kingdom.

 

[Great Engellex]

The Unwilling Fool
Drieheerenlanden​

6th November 1953
Just outside Hillegom, Prince-Archbishopric of Hillegom, Lisse

The Prince-Archbishop had secluded himself within his private apartments at the palace, outside Hillegom; seated at his desk from which he could observe the grounds beyond the windows, and the delicate approach of persons to his door, he was waiting for a message which was rather important to him, for it would inform him on whether his latest intrigue was realised or not.

The pale November sun shone through the tall, square windows. He thought :- they shall take pleasure from my palace; they shall enjoy Lisse. Cantignia would be difficult to persuade; but he would find a means of drawing them to visit Hillegom. He would have the dignitaries from Cantignia, Ivernia, and the Fennian Union together, because it should be particularly easy to overcome all, or most, difficulties that way. He thought of the king and queen, or more so the cabinet, who had yet to formally invite the Ivernian dignitary to Leidschendam, following Hillegom - he knew they would want to. Yet, he mused, he will not forgot himself amongst the pomp of his own court, and it will be a good day for Lisse when the kingdom takes a position on the European stage. How long the waiting seemed. The Prince-Archbishop insisted he would see nobody. He informed his secretaries that he was to be disturbed only by letters from Leidschendam or from abroad, because he anticipated important matters of the Prince-Archbishopric.

But soon, the intelligence must surely come. He stood, and began to pace the apartment because he could no longer bear to stare at the door. The opportunities from this endeavour were good. Upon his acension to the Prince-Archbishopric, his political influence was positively non-existent outside Hillegom - his hopes of influencing Leidschendam were slender. Why should the crowned heads, and the States-General take stock of the position of the Prince-Archbishop, a southern archbishop who had made no noise at national level? The resources and constitutional position of Hillegom permitted a swift emergence of the Prince-Archbishop upon the radar of Leideschendam, with the constitutional allocation of cabinet positions and the faith of much of the aristocracy, he had direct avenues to national prominence; for the last few weeks, however, the Prince-Archbishop had given less thought to affairs in Lisse, his mind was on what could be achieved from the religious disturbances in Boganhem. Since the address within the States-General, he had become more aware of his indirect persuasion of Lisser foreign policy. It was pondered, within Hillegom, that to ease the official participation of the Prince-Archbishopric in the Europe-wide condemnation of Boganhem, the Royal Secretary of Foreigns Affairs had delivered a rather conservative and sharp criticism of the Boganhem regime, quite unlike the usual isolationist-neutral characteristics of Leideschendam; but the Prince-Archbishop would not gain satisfaction with a simple exchange of words.

Neutrality was needed to guarantee the integrity of the kingdom, was the constant excuse delivered when reminded of the pathetic non-existence of the foreign affairs secretary within European ranks, and he was angry to contemplate the only wealth the kingdom had being squandered on useless health or education initiatives, money which could have been used not only to make the kingdom prosperous, but also to acquire a greater position within Europe. But there was something which the Prince-Archbishop held; and this was what he needed to rely on more than anything right now :- his direct influence over the majority of the Lisser people through their devotion to the Tiburan Catholic Church. The influential Prince-Archbishop, of whom several millions stood in awe, had but to make it known that he was displeased or opposed, and Leideschendam would be out-maneuvered. This the Prince-Archbishop could do. He would do it. The possibility of failure was never pondered within his court.

The unpopularity of Boganhem throughout the kingdom was growing especially quick, with the people openly murmuring against the government of the northern nation. The archbishops, the bishops, and the priests, were instructed to continue as was always permitted in the splendid pomp of the Tiburan Catholic Church in Lisse, for they would do nothing to calm the people's anger, no, they were advised to rather increase it. Time keeping was an excellent characteristic of Lisser people, and those of the Court of the Prince-Archbishop knew it was the exact time to make noise.

Every time a letter, or telegrams, were recieved by the secretaries of his foreign affairs office, Gerrit Thorbecke - Count Schimmelpenninck, was taken by a slight anxiety over the potential receiving of bad intelligence. When the Royal Secretary of Internal Affairs, Willem Frederik Rochussen, had met with Schimmelpenninck over the previous weekend, he had expressed a firm expectation of discontent by the faithful adherents of the Tiburan Catholic Church - the Calvinists of the north were less of a concern, it was believed. The Minister President naturally instructed Rochussen to anticipate a degree of unrest, by deploying additional police officers throughout Leidschendam. But despite their expectations, it was difficult to assume, afterall, the Lisser people are rather civil and democratic in their protestations; all that was known, was that the following of the Prince-Archbishop and the Tiburan Catholic Church more than rivalled the adoration for the Queen and the King, and more, the people were openly demanding to know why or how the government in Boganhem could behave toward the christians with such criminality.

Bishops were arriving in Leidschendam, a freshly received document read. Schimmelpenninck observed the black printing quickly, trying to obtain the need for urgency - which was the obvious nature of the document. There were no violent congregations; no aggressive protestations; the Bishops were not encouraging misbehaviour, either. The people, rather, were registering their passionate anger of the Boganhem situation at the embassy of that country in Leidschendam. It had been traditionally percieved to be a great gesture of disrespect to prop ones bicycle against the front door of another's property. In Leidschendam the people were making their opinions known, to the Boganhem ambassador, by placing their bicycles at the doors to the embassy building. What provided the need for urgency was not the act, for the police can swiftly remove a few bicycles, it was the number and speed in which that number was growing - in the thousands. And the result, which stared into the face of the Lisser cabinet, the Minister President :- informal imprisonment of the Boganhem ambassador by the people.

[MENTION=1085]Boganhem[/MENTION]

 

[Great Engellex]

Leidschendam's Crisis
Drieheerenlanden​

21st November 1953
Leidschendam, Kingdom of Bernisse, Lisse

Queen Adelheid had now lost all hope with the political class, and their civilian apparatus. The affairs of state were in the direst disorder, and quite openly so to the whole of Europe. There were rumours circulating Leidschendam and Ilpendam regarding quarrels most royal - they were not rumours, but fact - Adelheid and Frederik had quarrelled openly and fiercely with the Minister-President, and when Hans Willem Bentinck had gone to Court, having addressed the First Chamber of the States-General, he was informed that their Majesties had no desire to receive him, and thus refused entry. Willem Frederik Rochussen, the Internal Affairs Secretary, arrogant and tactless, had even tried to force an entry, that was when his intimidating persuasion failed upon the guards; the result, he had suffered the extreme indignity of being warned that he should be seized by guards and placed outside the palace precints if he tries again. Of course, this incident never made itself public. Never had the Crown been submitted to such rudeness, which clearly indicated that the two ministers had no respect for their Majesties position. Adelheid was with her aunt and uncle, the Count and Countess of Kennemerland, when the news was brought to her of the murder of the ministers in Touzen. This, she had now come to realise, was one of the greatest blows which could befall her reign, for she was most certainly the last head of state or government to realise the severity, and of course the conclusion, of that particular difficulty in Touzen.

This is the last I will permit any longer, Adelheid said to her uncle. I fear that there is no hope in the present state of the system. The Count nodded, but what will become the likely course for the ministry? He asked. Adelheid said nothing. She realised that disbanding the ministry was the last thing she, and the country wanted as the expense of such an option was likely to be much and very disruptive. She would have to oversee, with Frederik and the Council of State, a series of sweeping reforms be carried out and applied to the ministry. It was necessary, as the humiliation from observing that Lisse was almost absent from European affairs for two, three very significant weeks was great. There was, however, only one dignified course which her thoughts could muster to distract from this episode and regain some sort of position internationally, and importantly, domestically, and that was to review the military reforms always suggested by Alexander Frederik van Bylandt, the industrial expansion opinioned by Jan Karel, baron van Goltstein, and of course the colonial enterprise by King Frederik III. Adelheid smiled at her uncle, still not finding the effort to respond to his earlier question. Where is his Highness the Prince-Archbishop? the Countess asked. I too have not seen his Highness recently, answered the Count. Now that I recall it, pursued Adelheid, his Highness seems to be quite absent lately. What forces keep that man from this city? The queen asked with a slight jest. No one could answer that; which was strange because the Prince-Archbishop had been quite inclined to march a great deal - often too much - into the affairs of state. I shall request an answer from his bishops this evening, said Adelheid; and then, they fell to discussing the festivities that would take place that evening for Sinterklaas.

During that same early afternoon in Leidschendam, Sinterklaas rode, renewed and refreshed from the nearby city of Moppewetering, until he arrived at the historical and now ceremonial 16th century gatehouse of the capital; and there, he arrived, he became the leader of the mighty festive procession that would snake its way through the historic and popular districts and streets toward the city hall; and, gorgeously attired, wearing his typical scarlet robes and gold staff, he was well received by the great masses of men and women - and, of course, huge numbers of children - many singing songs, others crying with excitement. Yes, there was an impressive chorus throughout the procession of the popular musical Sinterklaas Kapoentje, that would reign all the way to the city hall. As he arrived, surrounded by throngs of Zwarte Pieten, Sinterklaas was received royally by the Burgemeester van Leidschendam, who oversaw the execution of public performances of some of the finest classical dance and music groups in Lisse. Privately, within the city hall, Sinterklaas was entertained lavishly, but all was not so elitist, there was a special task that he performed each year at the hall of every town an city he visits, Sinterklaas an the Zwarte Pieten receive hundreds of the poorest children in each town; he entertains them with pickled herring, rookworst, speculaas, and with an assortment of useful and playful gifts - donated to the cause by the wealthier classes. That evening, a similar ritual will be undertaken under the humbled demeanour of the Queen of Lisse and Bernisse, Adelheid; Frederik, who is King of Lisse and Vlistland, performed such duties when Sinterklaas was received in Ilpendam, the capital of Vlistland.

Preparing herself that evening for the banquet, if it should be called that, which was to be given at the palace at Leidschendam in honour of Sinterklaas, Adelheid could only contemplate further considerations for the ambassadors and dignitaries. This banquet was to be the most gorgeous, yet characteristically humble, of its kind - yet, as a gesture of friendship toward neighbours and European powers, the queen opted for less of the humble at a last minute, forcing hundreds of household staff to hunt around the capital for those additional decorations and gifts. Adelheid's dress was of sapphire with brown mink fur; there were diamonds on her chest and pearls round her throat. The queen discarded the crown, which is often and contrary to the king, deciding it made her appear too aloft; she would wear her hair up, in a typical fashionable style, with a simple yet brilliant tiara. She was, as she had reluctantly grown accustomed to be, the pedastool to which the court compared itself.

The whole court whispered of nothing else but the crisis of the government ministry. The Queen heard it; the ambassadors heard it. Adelheid was frustrated, if not secretly afraid. Great pains she took with selecting her choice of words, her gestures - everything, hoping thereby to cross the tightrope of the situation, that she might be able to delicately handle the affair without it escalating further to a crisis of the whole government, or even a constitutional one. Government ministers observed her melancholy; nobles gossiped how she prayed more fervently. Count Schimmelpenninck knew of course about every detail of the situation, he is afterall centre to it all, and he was sorry for Adelheid in particular, for though she was quite different from himself as a Lisser woman could be, a sober woman, rarely heard to laugh publicly, yet he had a deep respect for such piety, and found it frustrating that the political classes should find it possible to emulate it. But Count Schimmelpenninck was busy with thoughts of his own affairs. Despite resigning his ministerial portfolio, the count was still the acting Foreign Affairs Secretary, and the ministry was now almost suddenly plaguing him, intelligence and communiques were filtering back to him at far greater volumes; and he feared it was right that he should be scrutinised by the States-General, as he obviously thought too little and acted far less in observing the practices of the ministry. There came to him short telegrams, sometimes without a named author that was curious, expressing how communiques from foreign governments, of Lisser ministers abroad, had strangely been misplaced for some time and now recoved for his urgent attention to address. Unlike the Bogan letter, which was deliberately ignored by the government, there were others that certainly should not have been; that evening, before the reception at the palace, he received another un-authored telegram from the ministry detailing an invitation from Cantignia, and a request from the Cantignian dignitary to meet with him regarding a lack of response. How he was to handle this grand slight he wasn't sure, but he knew the Prince-Archbishop must have been aware - explaining his recent silence on the crisis.

At just a stroke from eight o'clock all the drawing rooms of the palace were filled with a hum of conversation, like the hum of bees swarming in spring-time; with the obvious exception of the children, who were permitted a slightly more greater display of excitement in adjoining rooms. The nobles, the ministers, the foreign dignitaries, an other notables wandered, sat, stood, met, and seperated, some in uniform and some in evening dress. Powdered footmen in livery with buckled shoes and smart stockings stood at every door anxiously noting guests'every movement in order to offer their services. Most of those present were elderly respected men with worn faces, boney fingers, and faint gestures and voices; diplomatic postings to Lisse were without glory and rarely importance, in recent times the youthful king and queen regarded Leidschendam as an apparent European retirement destination for has-been diplomats.* This class of guests tended to sit and stand in certain habitual groups; groups which Count Schimmelpenninck now had to masterfully navigate with sensitive lines of compliment and apology. In one circle Alexander Frederik van Bylandt, Royal Secretary of War, was speaking of a paper within government persuaing for the need to assess certain assets of the military, such as fighter and bomber aircraft, in light of the destructive successes in Monkecia by the socialist rebels. it was nothing short of a subtle part of the Lisser charmed offensive, with the war secretary remarking on the point that Lisse shares the anxiety of socialist violence with the ambassadors of Ivernia, Franken, and Engellex. An Under-Secretary to Count Schimmelpenninck, standing close by, tried to make light humour, saying that the Kingdom of Moneckia did not listen to the lessons of the need to reach out to potential allies in such crisis, but those of the circle glanced severely at the attempted wit, making him feel that in that place and during the present time it was unacceptable to try wit at another's foreign policy failure.

Count Schimmelpenninck, hurried and preoccupied, went about in his sharp heels between drawing-rooms hastily greeting the important and unimportant, all of whom he knew, as if they were all equals. The Cantignian dignitary was stood with a few by a window, and whose presence he sought after to excuse the breakdown in communication from the ministry, and himself. The aged Schimmelpenninck came up to the circle and pressed the Cantignian's hand, how do you do? We must permit a reception for you at Huis Schimmelpenninck (his personal residence). But before he had finished his greeting there was a general stir, and a footman who had marched to the middle of all the bustle announced with an almost-like roar, hare Majesteit, de Koningin Adelheid II! Trumpets sang, the footmen marched forward, and the guests came together from the various rooms and crowded in the largest drawing-room that adjoined the state ballroom.

Adelheid appeared behind the now opened doors of the ballroom, with other members of the royal family behind her and Sinterklaas to her right. She had no crown, or an over-indulgent gown - though her attire was no less regal, with the sapphire dress, incorporating silver lace and pearls, glittering beneath the grand chandeliers and her glistening diamond tiara. There was something rather festive in the appearance of the queen, in her chosen attire, and Sinterklaas, which in conjunction with her alabaster skin and petite features gave her a rather virginal appearance. Adelheid held out her hand to her guest of honour, Sinterklaas, without an inch of her neutral face giving way to any sort of emotion. There was a moment of complete silence, for no one moved in accordance with basic court ettiquette; then, as the queen and her honoured guest put one foot forward to gracefully receive their guests, the musicians started up the elegance of an instrumental passacaglia from the Montel Jean-Baptiste Lully's Armide, LWV 71.

[[OOC: *I assumed that there would be no young or skilled diplomatic talent spent in Leidschendam, due to the relative unimportance of Lisser in European affairs.]]