James Newman

Imperator James I [Newman] of New Haven was the first Imperator of the Modern Age, being named for the 21st century war hero (and ancestor) James Frederick Newman, who couped the government to prevent The Island States from capitulating during the UnAPS-Allanean War. He brought New Haven from being a second-rate power in Haven to a player in interstellar space. We was co-signatory to the Hermes Alliance along with King Nightbane of Bryn Shander. He also ordered the exodus of every New Havenite from Earth to the colonial systems, ending New Haven's claim to be a Haven nation.

Birth and Early Life

James Newman was born into one of the largest military families in The Island States, what New Haven was called before it went into space. He was born to Lieutenant Oscar Newman and Carmen Westinghouse, the Lieutenant being the heir to the Newman Estate and to an extremely long military and political lineage. His father didn't make it very far, making it as far up as Captain by the time James was 13, subsequently retiring to run the family estate and becoming a Militia Captain. James emulated his father, so much that by age 7, he had organized his neighborhood friends into a Company, eventually reaching the point of it having its own insignia and later becoming the area's militia detachment by the time its members reached the Age of Service.

Newman followed in the tracks of his father, joining the Freeport Military Academy by age 13. By age 18, he had graduated with a degree in Military History and Economics and the rank of Captain. During a rebellion in 2792, Captain Newman was suddenly thrust into the position of Major General when most of his corps' command staff was killed in a freak gravship accident. Newman took control of the situation, commanding an entire corps. by himself for more than three days of intense combat. A week after the incident, the Captain was promoted to Lieutenant General and was given command over the entire Corps officially. A month after that, he was awarded the Medal of Conquering Heroes and a subsequent promotion to General of the Army. He had now achieved all but one goal in his quest to emulate the first James Newman.

The Presidency

With President George Oppenheimer's grip on New Haven slipping dangerously out of control, Newman acted quickly to stabilize the Republic and accomplish his own goals at the same time. In a clever move that would have made his namesake ancestor proud, he successfully couped the New Havenic government and took control as President. After 24 hours at the reigns, Newman put down several rebellions with threats alone and stabilized the country's economy. He was the youngest President of New Haven, beating his own ancestor by six years.

With the close of the upheaval came calls for election. Newman held an election, where he ran against five other candidates that were severely under-qualified and unfit to run. Winning with a comfortable lead, Newman began to settle down and become a family man.

His son and future Imperial Heir, Robert Newman, was born three years before his twin sisters Sara Newman and Ashley Newman. All three children grew up in the Presidential Residence, learning how to run a country from their father through bedtime stories and through home-schooling. All three of his children would later graduate from the Freeport Military Academy with high honors, which would later help establish an iron grip on the throne by all three children.

After the births of his children, Newman set about getting The Island States ready to withdraw from the defunct Union of Socialist Republics. This would later have devastating consequences with a sudden acceleration precipitating a minor coup and the Battle over Shen-Zhou. After the coup was crushed, Newman co-signed the Hermes Alliance, and the Union of Socialist Republics ended shortly afterward.

After the One-Day War, the nation began a covert plan to arm its former enemy, Allanea to fight off foreigners that had attacked Allanea. "It was a major mistake on my part," Newman later recalled. "If we had supported the occupation, we would be having less problems with Mars as we do today." After a tense standoff with the Sentient Peoples over Haven, The Island States backed down before war could break out. However, with this standoff came the creation of something new.

The Founding of New Haven

With the colonization of the New Haven System, The Island States ceased to be bound to the Earth. Since it was no longer a collection of islands, it decided to name itself after its first colonized system. Eventually, the capital would be moved to New Freeport, along with the Freeport Military Academy.

Ascension to the Throne and Reign

A typical day in the Legislature turned into a coronation ceremony proclaiming James Newman to be the First Imperator of the Modern Era, effectively reestablishing the old Imperial style of government enjoyed before the occupation by Midlonia. After the ceremony, an assassin attempted to kill the Imperator. With one quick swipe, the assassin's head came clean off. As a show of power, Newman threw the head to the crowd that had gathered below the Citadel and proclaimed that assassination attempts would not be tolerated before having the body tossed over the side as well. The head of the assassin is currently being exchanged for packs of cigarettes and bottles of Red Star Vodka, a popular favorite of communists and socialists.

Newman immediately established a constitution, which was ratified unanimously by the Constitutional Committee. With the Imperium in full gear, nothing seemed to be able to stop the "Iron Imperator". Unfortunately, the old leader could no longer sustain himself. At the age of 65, the Imperator apparently died from a heart attack, but this was later found to be false information perported by the Praetorian Guard to avoid being blamed for what turned out to be poisoning performed by one of their own members.

With his death, the strength of his Imperium was tested. Its constitution laid out what was to be done, and it went off without a problem. James' twin daughters, Sara and Ashley, ascended to the throne at age 19. Of course, after Ashley fled to Sculptor to avoid a devastating plague along with a contingent of New Havenites, Sara became the sole Imperatrix of New Haven.