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Crown Dependency of Trebizond founded
A new Austenasian Crown Dependency has been founded, consisting of territory formerly belonging to the Empire of Trebizond.
The Empire of Trebizond existed between 1204 and 1461 as a break-away state from the medieval Roman Empire, begrudgingly recognised by the latter in 1282.
The new Crown Dependency of Trebizond consists of a small farm near the Turkish city of Trabzon (the medieval empire’s former capital).
The crown dependency was claimed for Austenasia by its landowner, Prince Dionisiy I (the Duke of Lycaonia, whose Principality of Montescano was recently recognised as sovereign by the imperial government).
Prince Dionisiy has been appointed governing commissioner of Trebizond, with the title of Despot. He is a descendant of the medieval Trapezuntine rulers through his maternal ancestry.
Trebizond does not have any permanent residents, but may in future be rented out to tenants, who would be made aware that they were living on Austenasian land.
This annexation represents a further expansion of Austenasia in the former Roman lands of the East.
IGS Expedition to Tarsus
The Imperial Geographical Society yesterday conducted an expedition to Tarsus, the biblical hometown of St Paul the Apostle.
The expedition was comprised of Lord Dionisiy Tezdzhan-Smahin and his wife Lady Mariia.
It was the first expedition to take place outside of Europe, and the first to not have included Emperor Jonathan I amongst its participants. This is a major step for the IGS, which since 2017 has been aiming to conduct an expedition not requiring the personal direction of the Emperor.
Tarsus is an ancient settlement, dating back to the Neolithic period and named by the Hittites.
The expedition first encountered the Danyal Makami or Mausoleum of Daniel, one of several claimants to be the tomb of the Prophet Daniel. This site is thought to have been identified as the prophet’s tomb by the Caliph Umar (r. 634-644).
The expedition then continued past a Roman section of the city walls to Saint Paul’s Well, a well situated next to the ruin of a Roman house claimed to have been that of St Paul himself. The well is twenty metres deep and still yields drinkable water. It is supposed that St Paul would have drunk from the well during his lifetime.
The Duke and Duchess continued by car to the Tarsus Waterfall, where the expedition concluded with lunch.
Emperor announces changes for 2020 in Christmas broadcast
His Imperial Majesty the Emperor used his annual Christmas broadcast to announce that February 2020 will see a general election and the secession of New Richmond and Terentia from Austenasia.
He has also revealed exclusively to the Austenasian Times that the Town of Augusta will be joining them, and was not mentioned in his broadcast due to a mistake.
The three towns will create a new Commonwealth of New Virginia, to be recognised as an independent state.
New Richmond is the most populated single town of the Empire, with 15 inhabitants, and is home to the current Prime Minister, Lord Admiral Kennedy.
Augusta – which was part of New Richmond before becoming its own town in June this year – has three inhabitants, and Terentia has six.
New Richmond and Terentia both originally joined Austenasia in 2013. It is understood that their desire to leave Austenasia and create their own country is primarily due to the growth of their own local identity and culture during this time.
With the impending departure of the incumbent Prime Minister’s hometown, a general election has been called for 12 February 2020.
At the time of writing, the Whig Party is expected to put forward Lord John Gordon and the Fatherland Party Lord Dionisiy Tezdzhan-Smahin as candidates. Applications for candidacy will be confirmed by the Emperor by 15 January.
The Christmas broadcast was published this morning on YouTube, and can be heard here. Jonathan I has broadcast a Christmas message every year since his ascension to the Throne in 2013.
Other than the publication of the Emperor’s Christmas broadcast, the Imperial Family celebrated Christmas Day by attending a morning church service at Carshalton Methodist Church and later opening presents and enjoying a Christmas meal at the Imperial Residence.
The Imperial Family was joined at the church service by members of the extended Imperial Family as well as the former residents of Zephyria.
Although most of the Imperial Family is Methodist, Emperor Jonathan I joined the Orthodox Church in 2011. He attended a service at his own church yesterday for Christmas Eve, but often attends the morning Christmas Day service at the Methodist church with his priest’s blessing in order to spend time with his family at Christmas.
During this year’s service, Jonathan I and Crown Princess Caroline were invited to light all five of the Advent candles to mark the beginning of the service.
Christmas wishes have been sent to and received from numerous foreign national leaders by cards and e-mails.
New Austenasian March founded
Thursday 5th saw Harlemum founded as a March of Theodosiopolis.
Lord Dionisiy Tezdzhan-Smahin, the Representative of Theodosiopolis, moved from said town to a new home earlier this year with his wife Lady Mariia. Their new residence has therefore been annexed as the Harlemum March.
Harlemum is an enclave of the Dutch city of Haarlem, and is located just over thirteen miles west of Theodosiopolis.
A March is a territory which is attached to a Town for the purposes of parliamentary representation but is governed autonomously from its Town Council. Before Thursday there had only been one March, Caldari, for which the status was created in 2014.
Prior to this move, Theodosiopolis had five residents, the other three of whom remain living there.
Solar farm to be established on new Territory
An Act of Parliament passed yesterday evening has annexed a new Territory to Austenasia from Turkey, joining that of Laranda, which joined Austenasia in May.
The new Territory is situated near Silifke, a town which was known as Seleucia in antiquity. It has therefore been named Seleucia ad Cilicia in reference to its past.
Seleucia ad Cilicia consists of a plot of uninhabited land owned by Lord Dionisiy Tezdhzan-Smahin, who – as with Laranda earlier this year – claimed the land for Austenasia.
Lord Tezdzhan-Smahin, who was appointed Governor of the new territory by Parliament, has announced his intention to install solar panels in Seleucia ad Cilicia. These solar panels will produce renewable electricity which will be sold to the neighbouring country of Turkey, making Seleucia ad Cilicia one of the only areas of Austenasia to produce an export in this way.
Austenasian Times 
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