Michele I
The Grand Duchy of McIntyre
The Grand Duchy is listed in NationStates as 'The Duchy of Michele I'.
The constitutional monarchy Grand Duchy of McIntyre traces its origins back to the Knights Hospitallers in the Middle Ages. The leader of the group, Marcus Boas, settled near the Lake Audrey area c. CE 1392, and established a hospital and trading post. Over time Boas declared himself Grand Duke, and married the daughter of a local Moorish merchant. Many of the early Christian knights and their servants married into Muslim and Jewish merchant families who lived in or traveled through the area, giving this country an unusually tolerant and mixed heritage. Through the centuries the Duchy has remained relatively separate from the rest of the world, and has enjoyed over 700 years of peace.
The last member of the Boas line to rule, Grand Duchess Michele I, married Prince Leonard of the neighboring country of Dworkinia in a lavish ceremony. The royal couple shared interests in the arts and sciences, and looked forward to bringing their nation into the present day. However, the Grand Duke died of a tragic heart attack before their plans could be implemented. According to recent intelligence, the childless Grand Duchess has come out of semi-retirement and plans to strengthen her nation through trade and tourism. McIntyre is a strong supporter of human rights and environmentalism, and is a member of the UN. The nation also recently gave limited support to human cloning for the purpose of finding cures to genetic diseases.
Size: slightly smaller than New York State
Climate: pleasant and mild; short rainy season, low snowfall except in Mt. Gerzina range
Average Temperature: 85 degrees Fahrenheit in summer, 33 degrees Fahrenheit in winter
Terrain: mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to the Hurstonelle flood plain in the southeast. Forests and some mountains. Several medium-sized lakes and marshes. One major and one minor river.
Lowest point: Lake Audrey
Highest point: Mt Gerzina, part of the Gerzina mountain range near the northern border of the Duchy. Mt Gerzina is the only mountain in the Duchy that is topped with snow all year. It has a small ski resort.
Natural resources: coal, iron, bauxite, salt, timber, arable land
Major Waterways: The Hurstonelle River, which runs NNE to SSW and empties into Lake Audrey; the Weber River, which runs the length of the Duchy. Lake Audrey is the largest lake in the Duchy, and is a popular local destination for summer vacationers, due to the fishing, birding and boating available.
Government
The government is a constitutional monarchy. The houses of legislation, known as the House of Burghers and the House of Notables, usually meet during the fall and spring, and at the behest of the Duchess. They are collectively known as the Parliament, and act as advisors to the current ruler. All bills that come before the Parliament must be signed by the ruler in order to become law.The ruler also has the right to make proclamations, which are de facto laws.
The House of Burghers is made up of individuals who are elected to a two-year term to represent their towns in the Parliament. The House of Notables is made up of nobles who represent their regions. Regions with larger populations are given more votes. Bills must be accepted by 2/3 of the Parliament to be eligible for consideration. 3/4 of the Parliament must agree before a bill becomes a law to be signed by the ruler.
However, the Duchy is not a paper monarchy; the current ruler, Grand Duchess Michele I, has been known to reject potential laws, and to exercise her rights in areas such as funding for housing, education, the death penalty, and so on.
Crime in the Duchy is very minimal, due to full employment. However, the Duchy does have a small prison. Crimes with serious punishments include drug trafficking, slave trading, rape, child molestation, treason and murder, all of which can lead to sentences of life imprisonment. Under some circumstances the court system will sentence a particularly heinous offender to death by hanging, but this must be approved by the ruler; executions take place in the public square.
Religion
The official religions of the Duchy are Roman Catholicism, Judaism and Islam. However, the legal system recognizes religious freedom, so long as the practice of one's beliefs are not intrusive to others. There is currently no religious friction within the population, and many marriages in the Duchy are ecumenical.
Links
Information on The Duchy exchange rate and economy: http://www.sunsetrpg.com/economystatistics.php?nation=Michele%20I
