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by The Reich of The Grand Duchy Of Nova Capile. . 71 reads.

Klaus


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NOVA CAPILE

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Grand Duke Klaus I
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Klaus I



Official Portrait of His Majesty

Grand Duke of Nova Capile

Reign:

20 February 2016 - Present

Preceeded by:

Hans Wilhelm VII

Reichskanzler:

Wilhelm Knott

Personal Details

Born:

29 August 1954 (age 63)
Südlingen, Nova Capile

Nationality:

Capilean

Political Party:

Monarchist Party

Spouse(s):

Helene I

Children:

Hans Wilhelm VIII

Education:

University of Saxtonburg
- Degree in Architecture

Religion:

Lutheran

Signature:

"Democracy is born of tyranny. Tyranny is born of hatred. Hatred is born of mistrust. And mistrust is born of democracy."
- Klaus I

Klaus I (b. 29 August 1954), is the current Grand Duke of Nova Capile. He was coronated on 20 February 2016, following the death of his father and predecessor, Hans Wilhelm XVII. Within the first year of his reign, Klaus co-authored and ratified the Capilean Constitution, creating a new democratic government for Nova Capile. So far, Klaus' reign has also seen the release of several former colonies and protectorates, including Capilean Ethiopia and Buroasia; a significant decrease in military spending; and an ongoing increase in civil rights.

Early Life


Klaus was born as Klaus Erwin Friedrich von Hohenzollern I to parents Grand Duke Hans Wilhelm XII and Grand Duchess Marie III, in the Ducal Sommerpalast in the small town of Südlingen, on 29 August 1954. He would spend much of his time at that estate, away from his father, who lived and ruled principally from the Siegfriedsschloss near Saxtonburg. During his formative years, Klaus enjoyed studying mathematics and history, reading, horseback riding, and archery, and was described as quiet, well-mannered, and intelligent by those close to him.

At the age of eighteen, Klaus was enrolled in Saxtonburg University. He studied architecture, engineering, and political theory, and graduated first in his class in 1978. At the insistence of his father, he was granted an officer's commission in 1979 and became a Stoßwehr Major attached to the 9. Infantry Division "Vorhut." Applying his work ethic to this new field, Klaus soon became well-versed in military strategy, and became particularly interested in paratroop tactics.

In 1979, Klaus became engaged to and married Capilean noblewoman Helene von Amensburg. Their first and only child, Hans Wilhelm VIII, was born in 1981. Klaus later stated that he regretted being unable to spend much time with his young family because of his career in the military.

Commanding a battalion, Klaus personally subdued several small insurrections in rural Buroasia from 1980 to 1981. He developed a good relationship with the local population and administration because of his lenient and often bloodless methods. For his successes, Klaus was awarded a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. When Capile entered the Sovendian Civil War (1983-1985), intending to combat the Communist revolution which had occurred in Sovendia, Klaus' unit was among the first units deployed, and he personally participated in the joint Capilean-Monarchist offensive through the Sovendian jungle. Approximately 15,000 men, including the bulk of Klaus' division, was cut off from the main force and trapped for several weeks in the jungle. Klaus reportedly survived by eating grubs and other insects. Ultimately, Capile agreed to a ceasefire with the Communists and their allies, and withdrew all troops from Sovendia in 1985.

After arriving home, Klaus was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. In late 1985, he was sent to act as a military advisor to the loyalist forces in the Azen Civil Wars (1985-1987). Returning to Capile in early 1986, he was granted military leave and spent the remainder of the year with his family. Upon returning to service, Klaus requested and was granted a transfer to the 4. Fallschirmjäger Division. Shortly afterward, Capile became embroiled in one of the largest conflicts of its late modern history, the First Columbian Civil War (1988-1991). Deployed with his paratroopers, Klaus commanded various special forces operations across North America throughout the conflict.

Achieving the rank of Colonel-General in the Reichswehr, Klaus took a few years of leave to spend with his family. During this time, he was given a post in the Capilean Foreign Ministry, serving as a diplomat. However, Klaus was forced to return to Columbia in 1994 at the outbreak of the Second Columbian Civil War (1993-1998). This time, Klaus served strictly as a strategist, directing the Loyalist defense of the Gulf Coast against Communist and German invaders. After successfully halting these advances, Klaus was promoted to Major General and was transferred to the Northern Front, where he led Capilean troops in the bloody battle of Pittsburgh. The massive amounts of death and bloodshed he witnessed there deeply affected him, leading Klaus to renounce warfare forever.

Following the Loyalist defeat in Pittsburgh, a ceasefire was negotiated by 1998. Klaus returned to Capile and officially retired from the military, putting his long career behind him and finally beginning his real passion. From 1999 to 2016, Klaus worked chiefly as an architect, designing hundreds of bridges, buildings, and public works projects for the Capilean government. In 2007 he published a memoir entitled From Phuket to Pittsburgh: The Crown Prince's Life. It covered his entire early life and military career, but focused mainly on the Columbian Civil Wars, expressing his firsthand experience with battle and his dislike of warfare. During his retirement, Klaus also occasionally attended international conferences and summits as a representative of Nova Capile, and refined his interest in governance and diplomacy. Klaus also joined the Blumenhaus Club, a society dedicated to carrying on democracy and constitutionalism. There, he met Wilhelm Knott, Rolf Keyserling, Adolphus Becker, and Ludwig Schacht, with whom he developed a close friendship.

On 16 February 2016, Grand Duke Hans Willhelm VII died unexpectedly of a heart attack. Klaus was announced as his acting successor, and was coronated on 20 February, beginning his reign as Grand Duke of Nova Capile.

Reign


Immediately following his coronation, Klaus assembled a delegation of leading political figures from across the Duchy in Saxtonburg, and discussed the future of Nova Capile. After much thought, he decided that he wanted to implement a democracy in Nova Capile. Ever since his military days, he had become convinced that a democratic system was better than absolutism, and now finally had a chance to prove it.

On 20 March, 2016, Klaus addressed the Capilean people and announced that he would draft a constitution for the country. This was met with mingled support and derision, with much of the conservative leadership and aristocracy of the Duchy alarmed by the sudden announcement. Meeting with Knott, Keyserling, Becker, and Schacht, Klaus wrote the Capilean Constitution, which, after much revision, was made public on 4 June 2016. Again, this was met with a mixed reaction by most of the population. After more minor revision, Klaus signed the document into law on 1 January 2017.

The Capilean Constitution established a legislative branch, the Reichsrat, granted numerous rights to Capilean citizens, limited the powers of the Grand Duke, and in general made sweeping reforms to the government. In order to placate the aristocracy, Klaus preserved most of their hereditary rights and reserved the Upper House of the legislature, the Edelrat, for them. Wilhelm Knott was appointed Provisional Reichskanzler, and the first election in Capilean history was scheduled for 1 January 2018.

Throughout the next year, Klaus was instrumental in the establishment of the new government. He also publically endorsed the newly created Monarchist Party, stating on 15 March 2017, that "the Party has the best interests of the Capilean people at heart... It preserves our traditions and advocates equal rights for all." Klaus experienced extreme stress during this period and was heavily criticized by national media. Internationally, however, he was praised for his initiative and benevolence as a ruler and was credited with heralding a new era of the Duchy. He also had a falling-out with Wilhelm Knott over the issues of immigration, military spending, and welfare, leading to his break with the Monarchist Party. Just before the election, Klaus retired to the Sommerpalast with his family for three weeks, returning to Saxtonburg on 31 December.

The 2018 Capilean Elections were conducted on 1 January, and the results were announced the following morning. The election sparked extreme controversy; notably, aristocrat Baron Hennig von Korsitz led a boycott of the election, urging Capileans not to vote in protest of limited monarchy. Von Korsitz was joined by hundreds of prominent political leaders, generals, and aristocrats, who stirred controversy in the months leading to the election and forecasted that if the majority of Capileans did not vote, Klaus would be forced to abandon democracy. Instead, this plan, which reputedly led to some eight million eligible voters abstaining, resulted in a vast underrepresentation of monarchists in the election results.

Although according to polling supporters of the monarchy accounted for approximately 68% of the population, less than one-third of the votes went toward Monarchist Party candidates. Instead, the nationalistic Vaterland Front (VF) and communistic Fraternal Socialist Union (BSU) were vastly overrepresented, as their membership had extremely high voter turnout compared to monarchists.

In the aftermath, the Monarchist Party maintained an overwhelming majority in the Edelrat, but held less than 30% of seats in the Volksrat. In order to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority to form a coalition government, the monarchists had to form a tenuous coalition with the VF, the Christian Democrat Party, and the Restoration Party. Nevertheless, Wilhelm Knott won the election for Reichskanzler handily, and after a period of hung parliament, was able to negotiate the coalition.

Following the conclusion of the 2018 Elections, Klaus withdrew somewhat from the political arena, only rarely appearing at Monarchist Party functions. Instead, he concentrated on maintaining the executive branch of government and representing Capile on the world stage.

Policies


  • For: Democracy, Constitutional Monarchy, Division of Powers, Human Rights, Conservatism, Pacifism, Welfare, Foreign Aid, Conservation, International Trade, Immigration, Intergovermental Organizations, Multiculturalism, Seperation of Church and State, Religious Tolerance, Automatization, Environmental Protections

  • Against: Absolutism, Communism, Fascism, Militarism, Imperialism, Nationalism, Abortion, Recreational Drug Use, Euthenasia, Lobbying

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