Minden (The Kalmar Union)

The Principality of Minden, Minden, is a small constitutional monarchy in the northern Holy Roman Empire. It is bordered by Hoya, Kalenberg, Lippe, Ravensberg, Osnabruck and Munster-Westphalia. The population around 265,000 and the capital is Minden.

The Head of State is Prince Francis V.

The official language is German.

The currency is the Westphalian Crown (WFC).

History
Founded by Charlemagne in 803, the Bishopric of Minden was often held in union with Osnabruck and Munster. Its council chapter tended to elect bishops from the major noble families of Germany, often at a ridiculously early age, and the elections could usually be secured by significant bribery. This general mismanagement fed into the dissatisfaction that spawned the Reformation.

Bishop Anthony, a Holsteiner, converted to Lutheranism in 1551 and his conversion is recognised as one of the triggers for the Second Schmalkaldic War. The minor Battle of Hullhorst ensured it would remain Lutheran and at the war's end in 1558 Minden was secularised and incorporated into the new 'Schamalkaldic Empire' under the aegis of Denmark. Prince Anthony's dynasty would abruptly reach a dead end in the 1630s and under the pressure of the Fifty Years War the principality was nominally taken as a title by the Danish crown but it effectively remained under the control of which ever army held the land at the time. Almost utterly depopulated by the war, Denmark would hand it to one of their loyal army commanders, the landless Moritz von Spiess (who paid a handsome sum for it) at the war's close. The separate Imperial city of Minden was also incorporated at this time. It would be later inherited by a cadet branch of the Hesse-Kassel family.

The city of Minden is well regarded as a strategic fortress and successive Imperial governments have blocked the razing of the city walls.

The current incumbent, Prince Francis V, is elderly and has no direct heirs. It has been acknowledged that his successor would be Prince Wilhelm III Georg of Hesse-Kassel and that Minden would be absorbed on his death. The government of Minden has begun to synchronise its law code with that of Hesse-Kassel although it is assumed it would retain a certain degree of autonomy. This assumed future for the Principality is opposed by a significant minority who campaign for a republic to be established, or at the very least a electable monarchy to be established, keeping Minden's independence.

Government
Minden is governed by a small single-chambered Diet which is elected every five years.

The current Head of state is Prince Francis V and his chancellor is Adolf Zimmer.