Monarchy of Brazoria

Juan Carlos II
King/Queen of Brazoria
	Rey/Reina de Brazória (es) ; König/Königin von Brazorien (de)
	Federal
	Coat of arms of Brazoria
Incumbent
	Juan Carlos II; since April 19, 1989
Details
Style	His Royal Majesty
Heir apparent	Prince Esteban, Duke of Guadalupe
First monarch	Juan I
Formation	March 21, 1820
Appointer	Hereditary

The Monarchy of Brazoria (Spanish: Monarquía Brazória; German: Monarchie von Brazorien) is the federal constitutional and hereditary monarchy of the Kingdom of Brazoria. The monarchy comprises of the monarch, their immediate family, and extended royal household, both of which assist the sovereign on day to day matters of the state. The Brazorian monarchy is currently represented by Juan Carlos II of the royal house of Habsburg de Brazos, a branch of the extinct Spanish Habsburgs, who has reigned as the sovereign of Brazoria since 1989.

Throughout the history of Brazoria, the monarchy has appeared in two iterations. The first monarchy was established in 1821, following the Brazorian War of Independence. The sovereigns of the First Kingdom of Brazoria ruled until 1931, when Esteban III, pressured by the demands of the May Revolution, abdicated the throne and the monarchy was abolished in favor of a republic. Although Esteban III did renounce his claim to the throne through his abdication, he later revived it following the Brazorian Civil War and the establishment of the landonist Brazorian Confederation, ruling in exile in the Kingdom of Sierra as a guest of Louis II.

The second monarchy was established in 1989, nearly sixty years following the abolition of the first. With the Yellowrose Revolution of 1989, the Brazorian Confederation was overthrown and the monarchy was restored by popular demand, with Juan Carlos II, grandson of Esteban III, assuming the re-established throne. As per agreed in the Baton Rouge Agreement with the United Commonwealth, the monarchy was strictly a ceremonial function of the government, having absolutely no say in the proceedings of the government of Jacob Milton. However, following the Pecan Revolution of 2000, the second monarchy's role was defined and expanded upon, becoming comparable to the neighboring monarchies in the Kingdom of Sierra and Superior.

As a constitutional monarchy, the Brazorian monarchy is limited in executive power, and acts in largely ceremonial functions. The limited executive powers the monarchy has retained, known as the royal prerogatives, are clearly defined in the Constitution of Brazoria, and are able to be altered or redefined by parliamentary censuses and public referendum. The most notable of the royal prerogatives, and the one that is frequently used, is the right of assent, where the monarch is required to grant assent to a piece of passed legislation before it can be implemented into law. Like most modern monarchies, the Brazorian monarchy is legally non-partisan, with the monarch, royal family, and extended household members are barred from declaring political positions or endorsing a candidate for office. Alongside the monarchies of Brazil, Superior, and the Kingdom of Sierra, the Brazorian monarchy is one of the few New World monarchies not shared with a European power.

History

First Kingdom

Juan I leading his troops to victory at the Battle of the Rio Grande (1820).

Prior to the Brazorian War of Independence and the eventual establishment of the Kingdom of Brazoria, the House of Habsburg de Brazos was already a respected noble house within the Intendency of Texas, as its founder, John of Austria, had an influential role in the establishment and early development of the Spanish colony. With the Mexican War of Independence in full swing, many Texans opposed the prospect of becoming a province of an independent Mexico and primarily maintain their loyalty to Ferdinand VII of Spain. Despite this, no armed resistance to Mexican revolutionaries would occur until the war for independence. With Ferdinand VII's imprisonment by his own military, and the impending Mexican victory, a council of colonial officials, primarily conservative Brazoreños led by Don Juan Fernando de Habsburg de Brazos, gathered at the Presidio on the Brazos and declared the colony of Texas and the independent Kingdom of Brazoria. For his role on the council, and his family's history and royal background, Juan Ferdinand was elected by members of the council to serve as the king of an independent Brazoria, a position he graciously accepted.

Following the declaration of Brazorian independence, Juan Ferdinand arrived in Brazoria from Spain and assumed control of the nascent Brazorian Army, which at the time was made up of volunteers and mercenaries from the United States. Owning to his military experiences during the Peninsular War, Juan Ferdinand successful led the Brazorian Army into victory against the Mexicans, winning essential victories at the battles of Guadalupe and Rio Grande, the latter of which secured Brazorian independence with the expulsion of Mexican troops from Brazoria. With the Mexican expulsion at the Rio Grande, the war had de facto come to an end, though Mexico would not recognize Brazoria as an independent power until 1848. Though the monarchy was founded with Juan Ferdinand's acceptance of the throne in 1820, he did not officially assume the roles of the head of state until 1821, where he proclaimed himself as Juan I of Brazoria, taking his regnal name after his ancestor, John of Austria. Juan I's reign was absolutist in nature. A adherent to the Divine Right of Kings, Juan I ruled as an enlightened absolute monarch, controlling most aspects of the Brazorian government. Opposition to Juan I was minimal, mainly due to his image as the national hero of Brazoria and for a secret campaign of political suppression enacted by him and his advisers. Juan I reigned from 1820 to 1846 and was succeeded by his son, Carlos Esteban Felipe, who reigned under the name of Esteban I.

In contrast to his father, Esteban I was an opponent of absolutist rule, owning to his liberal education and time in the United States, and actively sought to dismantle the authoritarian system that his father had established. In 1848, following the Mexican–American War, Esteban I called for a constitutional convention, which created a constitution that limited the power of the monarchy in favor for a parliamentary democracy based on the United Kingdom. The First Kingdom Constitution, as the document is referred to in contemporary times, laid the groundwork for future governments of Brazoria. An admirer of Anglo-American culture, Esteban I pushed for the equal rights of Anglo-American settlers who had settled in eastern Brazoria and pushed for the recognition of English as a national language in Brazoria.

Outside of the establishment of democracy and the push for anglicization, Esteban I oversaw major diplomatic and economic inroads for Brazoria. Using his connections in the United States, EstI was influential in the recognition of Brazoria by the United States in 1845, which contemporary historians note as a leading cause for the Mexican-American War, and made Brazoria the first country to recognize the independence of the California Republic, which later became the Kingdom of Sierra in 1848, establishing strong ties that have continued to last into the modern era. As Brazoria became an internationally recognized state following the Mexican-American War, the economy of the nation skyrocketed as foreign investment and trade entered the Brazorian markets. By 1850, Brazoria became a major exporter of cattle. Esteban I was succeeded by his son, Prince Guillermo, who took the name of Juan II.

The reigns of Juan II, Esteban II, and Juan Carlos I were very much similar, with all three monarchs overseeing the Industrial Revolution in Brazoria, and the gradual shift from an agrarian-based economy to an industrialized one specializing in a number of different sectors, including manufactoring, shipbuilding, and shipping. During the reign of Esteban II, Brazoria became the center of many railroads that connected eastern North America to the west, and was a prominent stop for many immigrants from Europe, some of whom settled in the largely unpopulated western provinces. Along with that, the blossoming of the oil industry in Brazoria began under the reign of Juan Carlos I. This era of continued economic growth has been referred to as the "Gilded Period", and has been seen as the peak of popularity for the monarchy during the First Kingdom.

The Resignation, an oil painting by Brazorian artist Ernesto Rameriez, which shows Esteban III's abdication.

Juan Carlos I died in 1909 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Rodolfo. The reign of Rodolfo has been viewed as the start of the end of the First Kingdom. Ascending to the throne at the age of nineteen, Rodolfo was considered to be extremely immature by his advisors. A frequent partier and serial spender, Rodolfo allocated money in the state treasury to fund his lavish parties and massive construction projects, building palaces and royal residences almost on a yearly basis. The little governing Rodolfo did participate in disappeared after the start of the Roaring Twenties, when the Palace of Grand Llano became the site of daily, and usually all-night, parties, which costed the nation an untold amount of money. Throughout his reign, Rodolfo was also known as a notorious adulterer, having a number of public affairs with Brazorian and foreign socialites, the most notable of which was with Sierran actress and model Margaret Marigold. Rodolfo's reign greatly damaged the reputation of the monarchy, as his lavish spending during times of economic hardship resentated poorly with the citizens of Brazoria. Under his reign, a movement for a republic began to foster and grew popular among Rodolfo's governments. Rodolof died in 1925 from an unnamed illness, though contemporary historians believe to be some sort of sexually-transmitted disease. Having never married nor having legitimate children, the throne passed to Rodolfo's younger brother, Prince Jorge Esteban, who later became Esteban III.

Esteban III dedicated the entirety of his short reign to repairing the image of the monarchy. Following his coronation, Esteban III signed an royal decree establishing spending limits for members of the monarchy, with himself slashing his annual salary by half. He also ended his brothers ongoing construction efforts, instead opting to hand over the palaces his brother built to the government. Despite his best efforts in repairing the monarchy's image, he still found opposition from the growing republican movement, and was the target of three assassination attempts during his reign. Continued economic downturn, along with a growing sense of discontent with the monarchy and the government, caused the May Revolution of 1931, where demonstrators, who were later joined by members of the government and army, rioted against the monarchy. After days of rioting, Esteban III caved to the pressure of the May Revolution leaders for the safety of himself and his family, formally abdicating the throne on May 30, 1931. Instead of his son, Prince Nicholas, succeeding him, the throne was instead left vacant and formally abolished by the Brazorian Provisional Government a week later. With the abolition of the monarchy, the First Kingdom was formally dissolved, with the Republic of Brazoria being established in its place.

Interregnum

The gathering of the remaining members of the House of Habsburg de Brazos in Phoenix (1939).

Prince Nicholas at a Brazorian émigré event in Omaha, Superior (1962).

With the establishment of the Republic of Brazoria, the Brazorian royal family went into exile, travelling to the Kingdom of Sierra. Arriving in Porciúncula, Esteban III and his family were guests of Louis II at the Occidental Palace before moving to San Diego and then finally settling in Phoenix, where they resided in a mansion known as the Casa Rosa Amarillo. Though their exile was voluntarily, it later became enforced following the establishment of the republican government, who passed a resolution barring Esteban III and his descendants from entering Brazoria. Esteban III publicly accepted the establishment of republic, which alleviated some fears by the republican government and concerns made by many monarchists that he was unjustly forced off of the throne. However, in reality, Esteban III was in constant contact with supporters of the monarchy within the government and the armed forces, and had hope for a restoration sometime in the near future.

Upon the onset of the Brazorian Civil War, Esteban III condemned the United Landonist Workers Party and the Crimison Army and announced his support for the white movement, which was composed of many monarchists and supporters of Esteban III. During the duration of the war, Esteban III did not object to members of his family joining the White Army, and with the virtual collapse of the republic in 1934, it was rumored that Esteban himself would cross the Rio Grande to formally restore the monarchy, though this never occurred. By 1937, the White movement had largely been defeated, and the war officially concluded at the New Orleans Accords, which also properly ended Great War I. With the Landonist victory, the Brazorian Confederation was established by John Kars. Esteban III publicly rejected the legitimacy of the Confederation in 1939, renouncing his abdication and restoring his "rightful and dutiful claim" on the abolished throne of Brazoria.

With Esteban III's renunciation of his abdication, the monarchy-in-exile became the centerpiece of the Brazorian émigré community and of opposition to the Brazorian Confederation. Casa Rosa Amarillo was the host of numerous former leaders of the White movement, such as Dwight D. Eisenhower and Arnold Diaz, many of which supported Esteban and his descendants during their exile. Along with that, many former republican officials, including Johnathan Murray and Dan Moody, reconciled with the monarchy, though some like Moody did not recognize the renunciation. During the Cold War, the monarchy was treated with respect internationally, with members being invited to to a number of diplomatic events as representatives of "Free Brazoria". The claim to the throne as passed from Esteban III to his eldest son, Prince Nicholas, Duke of Guadalupe upon the former's death.

Prince Nicholas, the only one of his siblings that was born in Brazoria, was originally designated to succeed his father upon his abdication, though that would be stopped with the abolition of the monarchy. Like his father, Prince Nicholas continued to actively pursue his claim to the abolished throne of Brazoria. In 1962, Prince Nicholas became a founding member of the White Brazorian Administration in Exile, which existed up until his death, and was extremely active in the émigré community, speaking at a number events in Sierra, Superior, and Astoria. The growth of popularity of the monarchy among younger citizens of the Brazorian Confederation prompted a number of assassination attempts against Prince Nicholas, his eldest son Juan Carlos, and other prominent members of the royal family-in-exile. Through his lifetime, there were a total of forty-eight assassination attempts made by Confederation and Continental agents against Prince Nicholas, the most notable of which was in 1964, when Continental agents attempted to sabotage the Prince's airplane and force it to crash in Porciúncula

With the death of Prince Nicholas in 1979, to natural causes, the claims to the throne passed to his eldest son, Juan Carlos. Unlike his father and grandfather, Juan Carlos did not actively pursue the throne, as he had come to accept the fact that the Confederation was not immediately at risk of collapsing anytime soon. However, he remained active in the émigré community, and continued his father's legacy by attending émigré events across Anglo-America.

Second Kingdom

In 1989, protests and demonstrations across Brazoria organized by the monarchist Yellowrose Movement led to the Yellowrose Revolution, which saw the collapse of the Brazorian Confederation. Replacing the Confederation was the Regency Council of Brazoria, which was entrusted with governing the nation until a candidate for the newly-established throne can be selected. Although the council had already agreed to offer the throne to Juan Carlos, as he was a direct descendent of Esteban III, representatives of the United Commonwealth, who were allowed to observe the proceedings of the Regency Council as apart of the Baton Rouge Agreement pushed for the selection of another candidate, as they viewed Juan Carlos and the Habsburgs de Brazos as too "anti-worker". Despite these pleas, the Regency Council went ahead with inviting Juan Carlos to rule, which he graciously accepted on April 16, 1989.

Arriving in Brazoria for the first time in his life, Juan Carlos was celebrated by his people upon his arrival and was declared the new king of Brazoria on April 19. A coronation ceremony was held a year later on July 21, 1990, in which he was proclaimed as Juan Carlos II. As per the Baton Rouge Agreement, the monarchy was severely limited in political power, being regulated to a solely ceremonial position. Juan Carlos had absolutely no say in the proceedings of the government, which at the time was controlled by Chancellor Jacob Milton, who was appointed to the position by Continental representatives rather than being elected. Throughout the decade leading up to the Pecan Revolution, the relationship between the king and the chancellor worsened, as Juan Carlos supported the restoration of parliamentary democracy, while Milton wished to continue his un-elected reign to appease the United Commonwealth.

General public displeasure and opposition to Jacob Milton and his successor Robert Dietrich grew exponentially from 1998 to 2000, with mass demonstrations calling for both of their resignations and the calling for elections. While Milton resigned in 1999, Dietrich refused to do so. As such, the mass demonstrations later transitioned into mass riots, which were encouraged and endorsed by Juan Carlos, who held a demonstration within the grounds of the New Palace. In what would be known as the Pecan Revolution, Dietrich was forced to resign as chancellor, and with no designated successor, Juan Carlos was selected by the government to serve as head of government, making him the first monarch since Juan I to assume control of the government. Calling for a constitutional convention, Juan Carlos oversaw the restoration of parliamentary democracy in Brazoria, and accepted the limited expansion of powers that elevated the monarchy to the status of the neighboring Sierran and Superian monarchies.

Constitutional role

Powers, duties, and responsibilities

The Royal Standard of Brazoria, the personal flag of the sovereign.

The powers, duties, and responsibilities of the sovereign of Brazoria are defined in the Constitution of Brazoria. According to the constitution, the monarch of Brazoria is the head of state and sovereign of the Kingdom of Brazoria. The modern day monarch of Brazoria, like many other modern monarchies, is largely a ceremonial position within the nation, having little to no influence in the daily proceedings of government. The style of the monarch varies by gender, with male sovereigns being referred to as "His Royal Majesty", while female sovereigns are referred to as "Her Royal Majesty". In less formal settings, the sovereign is usually referred to as simply "His/Her Majesty". In theory, the monarch is the executive powerholder within the country. The constitution entrusts the sovereign with the executive handling of the nation, to ensure that "life, justice, and prosperity" are maintained and preserved. However, the same document also directs the sovereign to delegate most of their entrusted powers to the Chancellor and their cabinet of ministers, retaining only a few executive privileges, known as the royal prerogatives. The royal prerogatives are enacted largely at the behest or consent of the democratic government of Brazoria, and other that the right of assent, they are rarely used.

As the head of state, the sovereign is responsible for the appointment of the head of government, who is known as the Chancellor. The appointment of a head of government is not based on personal choice, which is specifically prohibited by the constitution, and instead the appointment is given to an individual who can command the confidence of the Diet of Brazoria, the lower house of Parliament. The sovereign is also responsible for the appointment of cabinet ministers, who are nominated by the chancellor and approved by both houses of Parliament. Members of the cabinet are assigned to oversee a department of the government, and in turn oversee the proper functioning of the nation. Outside of government, the sovereign is the supreme commander of the Brazorian Armed Forces. This title is received upon succession to the throne regardless of military service, and is constitutionally tied to the monarchy, meaning that only the sovereign can be head of the armed forces. Like other monarchies, the Brazorian Armed Forces are personally loyal to the sovereign rather than the elected head of government.

The sovereign is considered a symbol of Brazorian independence, authority, and sovereignty. Their likeness is used in a number of different ways to express this. The image of the monarch, and sovereigns past, are used on the Brazorian dollar, the only legal tender within Brazoria, and a portrait of the current sovereign are adorned in places owned and operated by the federal government, including municipal buildings, public schools, and most publicly-owned places. While pledges of allegiance to the sovereign are not required to be cited in public places, they are required for service within the Brazorian Armed Forces and in some governmental institutions.

Succession

Succession to the Brazorian throne follows absolute primogeniture, in which the eldest child of the sovereign, regardless of gender, will succeed them. Brazoria was one of the first monarchies to establish absolute primogeniture, which was created following constitutional changes that followed the Pecan Revolution. Prior to 2000, the monarchy followed male-preference primogeniture succession, where royal men were placed above royal woman, regardless of birth status. Brazoria has yet to see a female ascend to the throne, though there are instances in Brazorian history in which females could have ascended to the throne if absolute primogeniture existed and was in place. The heir apparent to the throne of Brazoria is know as the Duke/Duchess of Guadalupe, and receive the title following either their parent's ascension to the throne, or their reaching of adulthood in Brazoria, which is at the age of eighteen. Unlike other members of the royal family, the heir apparent is addressed as His/Her Royal Highness.

In the event of the abdication, incapacitation, or death of the sovereign, the heir apparent is immediately proclaimed the new sovereign of the nation. There are two sequences of events that transpire following the ascension of a new sovereign. If the previous sovereign had died, a period of mourning is established and is expected to be carried out until a designated period. If the previous sovereign had abdicated, then a period of celebration, celebrating the achievements of the outgoing sovereign is expected to occur. Although coronation ceremonies are optional, the holding of such an event has been tradition. Traditionally, coronation ceremonies have been held at the Cathedral of St. John, a church of the Catholic Church of Avignon.

Residences

The New Palace of Grand Llano, the primary residence of the monarchy

The official and primary residence of the monarchy is the New Palace of Grand Llano, which has been colloquially referred to as the New Palace. It was constructed in 1991 on the site of the former Palace of Grand Llano, which was destroyed by the Brazorian Confederation in 1949 as apart of Crimisonification. The New Palace is a Renaissance and French Imperial style palace, built with red brick and white limestone. The Palace of Grand Llano was also built in a similar pattern, though it was reported that concreate was used instead of limestone. Both the new and old palace are built upon what was considered the Presidio of the Brazos, the colonial residence of the House of Habsburg de Brazos. As the official royal residence, the New Palace has been used in a number of state, ceremonial, and diplomatic events, most prominently royal events.

The term royal residence is used to identify a place of residence that is owned and/or used by a member of the Brazorian royal family or a former residence that is managed by the Brazorian Royal Fund. Since the restoration of the monarchy in 2000, there are a total of TBD royal residences, TBD of which are currently owned and used by members of the royal family. The most prominent royal residences, excluding the New Palace, are the St. Mary Palace, located in San Antonio, the Dallas Palace located in Dallas, and the Drake House, located in East Denver. It had been unofficial tradition for a monarch to construct a new palace during the First Kingdom, but has since become discouraged.