Micronations

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Part 1: The Empire of Austenasia

It’s not often that you get to speak to a real-life Emperor, let alone one that lives in a 1920s terraced house in Carshalton.

Emperor Jonathan I is the self-styled ruler of Austenasia - a self-declared micronation loosely based on the Roman Empire.

'Eccentric’ doesn't do this 25-year old Theology graduate justice.

In 2008, Austenasia provided a declaration of independence from the United Kingdom.

This declaration was not recognised but this did not stop Austenasia setting out to forge an empire in the spirit of independence.

However, what started as a father and son project turned into something much, much bigger…

Commanded from the ‘capital city’ of Wrythe, the Empire encompasses an astonishing 61 land claims across the world, including 12 plots in Great Britain, 36 in the USA and four in Asia.

“We didn’t start off as a breakaway movement in the sense that there was something we were trying to get away from" says Emperor Jonathan.

“It was more the idea of ‘what can we do ourselves, what sort of culture can we build, what sort of government can we set up’."

According to Micro-Wiki, a site Emperor Jonathan founded, a micronation is defined as ‘a political entity that claims to be a sovereign state but is not recognised as such by the wider international community.’

“Basically, we are not putting up barbed wire around the fence and sitting on the drive with a shotgun” says Jonathan.

Enter the world of Micronations

His Imperial Majesty Emperor Jonathan I of Austenasia

'Wrythe', the founding city of Austenasia

The Austenasian Star flying from the Imperial residence in 2015

Terry I abdicated as Emperor in 2010 and was replaced by his son Jonathan in a bloodless transition of power

Ambassador Tariq Zubair outside the Austenasian Embassy to Pakistan, October 2015

Ambassador Zubair inside his diplomatic offices

Dr Kalra and Swari Tiwari at the opening of the Consulate-General in New Delhi in April 2017.

Jonathan I on Independence Day 2017 while on an Imperial visit to the Austenasian Consulate-General in Castile and Léon, Spain.

Anyone can declare independence in spirit but this carries no power as you won't be recognised.

So, many instead opt to fall under the banner of an established micronation such as Austenasia which brings with it a community for these unrecognised eccentrics.

“We have introduced a lot of stringent restrictions so if someone joins they won’t be leaving in a hurry" says Emperor Jonathan, in true Roman-esque assertiveness.

In fact, Austenasia has grown so large that it even boasts foreign embassy's in Pakistan and India.

Meet the Austenasian Ambassador to Pakistan

Though whilst Austenasia has assembled its own Empire and legislature, it still falls under the jurisdiction of the U.K.

“Technically, legally, if we do claim to be a sovereign state and empire, we don’t have to follow U.K. law but practically and realistically, if we broke it we would have a dawn raid by the police" says Emperor Jonathan.

It seems that while micronations may not offer ‘independence’ in every sense of the word, it gives those with an interest in governance and statecraft a place to create utopias in a safe environment…. think of the movie Role Models and you’re getting warm.

But it's not all plain sailing.

Like any nation, diplomacy plays a key role and of course, this means borders.

“We don’t give visas, someone has tried to get a visa from Pakistan via Austenasia to live in the U.K., we cannot possibly issue this” says Emperor Jonathan.

Visas are not the only cross-border issue however.

Jonathan says: “My fiancé has her own micronation, she made it after we met.

“She’s queen as it’s an absolute monarchy which means she can wear a crown next to me.”

In the spirit of union, does Jonathan have any advice for Britain as it becomes a newly independent nation?: “As a sovereign head of state I couldn’t possibly comment on the diplomatic activities of other nations.”

Emperor Jonathan with Jans Linhart, Magister of Venedia, signing a treaty establishing mutual recognition between the two nations

Emperor Jonathan I and Princess Hannah of Wildflower Meadows at their engagement party under their respective flags

Jonathan I is to wed Princess Hannah to unify Austenasia and Wildflower Meadow's

Though all is not well in the world of Micronationalism...

Twenty-five miles away in a flat in Feltham, the drums of independence are also beating…

..but to a very different tune.

Part 2: The Imperial Grand Duchy of Lundenwic

“We are very big on Eurovision and have a huge Eurovision party, we announce our vote during the Eurovision results” says Mike Lewis, Prime Minister of Lundenwic, speaking from his flat in Feltham which doubles as a fascist micronation.

Founded in 2013, Lundenwic is small and secretive.

“We have around 25 members at the moment and we don’t allow honorary citizenship, this is where our fascist nature comes into play” says Mike.

Lundenwic formed in part as a reaction to the "ineptitude" of the British government as well as frustration with U.K. laws, specifically drug legislation.

“We’ve always been pro-drugs in the sense of if you legalise them, it is easier to control what’s in them” says Mike.

Like other micronations, discussion and creation of policy is of real interest at Lundenwic, with members united over a shared love of politics… and beer.

“Think of the House of Commons but with alcohol: when you’ve got someone five pints in, they’re easier to influence on policy decisions – and that’s quite fun" says Mike, who in real life is a medical technical officer for a cancer lab in the NHS.

A Parliamentary meeting in the age of Covid-19

"When you’ve got someone five pints in, they’re easier to influence on policy decisions"

Prime Minister Mike Lewis shakes hands with the Minister of Defence after a successful meeting

The Minister of Defence explains the mechanism of a cannon to the Prime Minister

Explaining the fascist identity, Mike insists that: “In micronationalism a lot of people strive for democracy, this didn’t really work for us so we formed a dictatorship.”

And like many dictatorships, Lundenwic has even had a civil war.

“Some tenants took an exception to my fascist ideology and formed a communist party" says Mike.

“We had some minor skirmishes jumping over the fence and stealing some documents."

The threat did not last. Their tenancy ended and the communists disappeared down the street in the back of a removal lorry.

Like Austenasia, Lundenwic also has an empire boasting land claims in Wyoming, Torrevieja and a small island north of Iceland called Grímsey.

"Bizarrely the Island of Grímsey was 'gifted' to us by another micronation which went defunct, we have never actually been there and seen them" says Mike.

Lundenwic also takes a similar stance to Jonathan in regards to Brexit: “As a nation we never want to meddle with another's internal affairs.”

There's a trend here...

Grímsey, the Icelandic island gifted to Lundenwic. Credit: akureyri.is

The GUM Summit in Birmingham

Mike Lewis gives a presentation on Lundenwic at the GUM Birmingham Summit.

Jonathan of Austenasia and the Imperial Grand Duke of Lundenwic meet for the first time at Austenasia’s 10th anniversary celebrations

The micronation community come together for the annual Birmingham Conference of Micronations where GUM (their answer to the UN) meet to establish relations and communication between micronations.

There is also a conference called MicroCon in the U.S.A.

Visits also take place between nations to maintain diplomatic ties.

After all, no man is an island...

Disclaimer: Carshalton and Wallington MP Elliot Coburn and Hounslow Council were approached for comment about the presence of micronations in their constituencies, neither responded.