Marc-Alexander of Knootcap
| Marc-Alexander of Knootcap | ||||||||
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| Preceded by: Der Angst occupation forces |
Steward of Knootoss 1810-1815 |
Succeeded by: Maurice of Knootcap |
Marc-Alexander of Knootcap (Marc-Alexander the Strong) was born as the eldest son of the last Knootian Stadtholder. He fled from Knootoss with his family in 1800, only to return after the invasion in 1810. By then his father had died. Taking advantage of popular opinion (which was with the House of Knootcap more then ever) as well as the weakness of the decimated and impoverished mercantile elite his claims to the title of ‘Steward’ of all the provinces was accepted. Thus he created a republic with a strong hereditary autocrat at its head.
He ruled like a liberal autocrat centralising power (more specifically, to himself), and considered the Staten-Generaal to be an advisory body. He promoted unfettered entrepreneurship and free trade, appointing Liberals in important government positions. Under his guidance a plan was also drawn up for a more systematic exploitation of the Knootian East Indies (see the main article). Helped by the booming world economy, he got the Republic back on its feet.
Marc-Alexander, while an absolute ruler, believed in some of the enlightenment ideals and initiated some democratic reforms on the local level and extended more civil rights to the population in a new constitution in 1814. He died a year after the new constitution.
