Henryland (An Honorable Retelling)

Kingdom of Henryland Henryland Timeline: An Honorable Retelling
Flag
Motto:  Firm and Proud of the Union
Anthem:  Greensleeves Royal anthem:  God Save the Queen
Location of Henryland (green)
Capital		Tudor Bay
Largest city		Mount Lionheart
Official languages		English
Religion		Anglicanism
Demonym		Henrylander Henrie (colloquial)
Government		Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
-	Queen	Anne I
-	Prime Minister	Chris Hipkins
-	Deputy Prime Minister	Lucy Powell
Legislature		Parliament
-	Upper house	House of Lords
-	Lower house	House of Commons
Establishment
-	Arrival of William IV	1805
-	Constitutional monarchy established	1 May 1840
-	Current constitution	12 July 1994
Population
-	2021 estimate	54,157,691
Currency		Henrylander pound (£)
Date formats		dd/mm/yyyy
Drives on the		left
Calling code		+57

Henryland, officially the Kingdom of Henryland is a country located on the northern part of Muqaddas. It borders with Cosimoland and New Caledonia to the north, Suriname to the east, Al-Bayd to the south and New Dover to the southwest. It separates both the Sea of the King and the Pacific Ocean. It is divided into 31 departments, the majority of which being in the denser populated northern part of the country. Its capital is Tudor Bay, located in the northwest, while the largest city is Mount Lionheart. It covers an area of 304,134,444 square kilometers (117,426,965 sq mi), and has a population of around 54 million. Its cultural heritage derives almost explicitly from England - of which nearly 95% of its population immigrated from. Other ethnicities include those of African descent, Scottish descent, and Native Columbians. Its official language is English, though at least 66 other languages are recognized.

Henryland has been home to many indigenous peoples and cultures since at least 12,000 BCE. Malian expeditions into the Dhariba Basin yielded small settlements in the region, though the majority of its territory remained undiscovered until several Hungarian and Castilian expeditions in the 1500s, which did not last. In 1530, the settlement of Bloomstown was created north of Tudor Bay by the English, and soon afterwards it became an incorporated territory of England, its namesake deriving from Henry VIII, who was the English monarch at the time. Its Baroque and Gothic architecture is reminiscent of this colonial period, as is its dialect of English, which is known as Henrylander English. Henrylander English is denoted for its close proximity to that of Early Modern English due its relative isolation during the colonial period, making it the genealogically closest dialect to Old English.

Historically, Henryland was a fervent supporter colony of the English monarchy, and fought several conflicts on behalf of England, most notably against New Caledonia from 1753-1767. Due to this fervant support, Henryland became the seat of the English Monarchy following the Napoleonic conquest of England and subsequent republican takeover of England. It fought alongside the Allies in both the Third and Fourth Great Wars and was a signatory to the establishment of the GTO, of which it remains a member to this day. It is noted for its healthcare system, and became the first nation to adopt a universal healthcare service in 1956.

Etymology

The name "Henryland" is in reference to King Henry VIII of England, who was the reigning monarch of the country when English colonization officially began in the territory around 1510. Before 1530, various names to describe the region had been used, the most prominent being Cornucopia. However, the Parliament of England referred to the colony as Henryland in written trade documents, and the name was made official after a charter was organized in 1536.

History

Pre-colonial era

Due to its geographical position, the current area of Henryland served as a passageway for early human civilizations moving from Mesocolumbia and the Sea of the king to the Andes and the Dhariba basin. The oldest archaeological discoveries, found at the Williamsworth and Redville sites in the Mary Valley 100 kilometers southwest of Tudor Bay, date back to the Paleoindian period (18,000–8000 BCE). Evidence from the Archaic Period (~8000–2000 BCE) has been uncovered at Port Hankstead and other locations. Early settlements are also evident in the Redville and Shinestown regions. The most ancient pottery in the New World, unearthed in Mount Lionheart, is dated to 5000–4000 BCE.

By 12,500 BCE, indigenous populations were present in what is now Henryland. Nomadic hunter-gatherer groups in today's Tudor Bay engaged in trade with each other and with different cultures from the Mary River Valley. In November 1937, a site featuring eight miles of pictographs was disclosed. Anthropologists studying the site suggest these pictographs are approximately 12,500 years old, based on the extinct species depicted, marking it as one of the earliest known human habitations in the region.

Between 5000 and 1000 BCE, hunter-gatherer tribes evolved into agrarian societies; they established permanent settlements and began pottery-making. From the 1st millennium BCE, native groups including the Muisca, Zenú, Quimbaya, and Tairona developed a political system known as cacicazgos, which had a hierarchical structure led by caciques. The Muisca primarily settled in the high plateau areas of the present-day Departments of Redville and Williamsworth, forming the Muisca Confederation. They cultivated maize, potato, quinoa, and cotton, and engaged in trade with neighboring nations, exchanging items like gold, emeralds, blankets, ceramic crafts, coca, and notably rock salt. The Tairona resided in the isolated Saint Dominic mountain range in northern Henryland. The Quimbaya lived in the Robert River Valley, situated between the Western and Central Andes. While most were agriculturalists, the social structures varied across different communities. Some, like the Taino, were in a constant state of warfare, whereas others adopted less warlike stances.

Colonial period

A painting depicting English settlers meeting with Moroccan representatives to negotiate terms of peace, 1516, unknown artist

The tribes in Henryland appear to not have any lasting contact with Malian or Marinid settlers prior to 1346. While there are large sets of cave drawings detailing figures clad in armor in various archaeological sites, these cannot be dated or directly traced to any powers from the Old World. However, mass famine encountered by the tribes as a result of indirect Malian contact killed a large portion of the population, leaving the Quimbaya as the sole major power in the region. The Quimbaya forged a large trade network and eventually were able to reach the Marinid colonies to the north, just south of modern Tudor Bay. The two powers often exchanged goods in exchange for mutual protection, and the Moroccans indirectly aided the Quimbaya in fending off attacks from the Inca Empire to the south. By 1490, they had established several small port cities on the northern coast, and used them to trade with other powers, and were given aid by the Malians. However, a virus, identified by researchers in 2012 to be an early variant of Lassa mammarenavirus, spread throughout the country, killing around ten thousand and weakening the Quimbaya, who fell into civil war. Historians have suggested that this outbreak allowed for the colonization of land by Europeans in the years following.

English explorers landed in modern Lordshaven in 1504. They were motivated to colonize the territory as a means to counter the influence of Islamic tribes on the continent, per the escalating Pilgrim Crusades. The unnatural geography, however, made direct colonization difficult. The English followed a system of taxation and cultural repression to ensure that their rule remained unrivaled, often using deserted settlements to create forts and military bases on the orders of commanders in the Northern Colonies. While personally against colonialism due to its financial cost, Henry VIII ordered that the northern coastline be mapped to establish a potential trade route through the Sea of the King. Castilian and Hungarian expeditionaries were additionally hired to collect tribute from remaining tribes, and to establish roads maintaining these trade routes. The first map of the Mary River Valley was produced in 1519.

The Charter of 1739 that effectively rendered Henryland a powerhouse of all English territories in the New World

In 1521, the English and Hungarians launched a major assault on the Malians in Muqaddas. The English, operating from what is now known as Henryland, conducted ruthless extermination campaigns, prompting a large influx of Moroccan Arabs and their indigenous allies into Mali, severely straining Mali's resources and supply lines. The English, under Robert Bowes, subsequently defeated the Malian forces in a struggle for the western Dhariba Rainforest in June 1524. For the next four years, the English grappled with the unfamiliar humid environment of Dhariba, facing resistance, disease, and supply issues. Seeking to circumvent the challenging rainforest terrain, the English navigated the Batinoo River to target Batinoo, the most westerly Malian settlement at the time. During the First Battle of Batinoo in December 1527, the English landed to the west of the city, aiming to exploit Mali's exposed western side. Their attempt to capture the city failed, but they persisted, laying siege to Batinoo in hopes of forcing a surrender through starvation. With additional forces arriving, Robert Bowes initiated a second assault on Batinoo on April 16, 1528. In the ensuing Second Battle of Batinoo, a coalition of Malian, Arab, and Baniwa forces, commanded by General Zomana Ouane, soundly defeated Bowes' army. Despite receiving reinforcements, the English were outmaneuvered due to the Malians' tactical superiority and dominance over the Batinoo River, leading to Ouane's forces encircling and charging the besieged English, culminating in a pivotal victory.

In 1549, the establishment of the English Royal Charter in Tudor Bay elevated the city to the capital of the territory, largely encompassing what is now Henryland. However, as early as the 1500s, the indigenous inhabitants harbored secret anti-English sentiments due to England's ban on direct trade between other territories to necessitate strict rules on import duties, which included Henryland, and the emerging Colony of Novanglia. The latter was a source of coveted goods obtained through trade from the Pacific, like silk and porcelain. Despite the prohibition, illicit trade flourished among these colonists, cultivating a culture resembling the growth of tobacco colonies to the north. This was a result of a collective defiance against the English authorities and their enforced monopoly on pricier silks and porcelain produced in England. The territory of Henryland was initially founded in 1717, dissolved temporarily, and then permanently reestablished in 1739, with Tudor Bay as its capital. It included territories previously under the monarchy, now mainly Novanglia, the Popham Colonies, and Vesperia. Thus, Tudor Bay became a key administrative center for the English territories in the New World, alongside Hawkinsville and Boston. To the north, members of dissident Christian sects fled to the territory of Moria, which signed a lasting non-aggression treaty with Henryland in 1747.

Early modern era (1750-1900)

Henryland entered the 18th century as a profitable colony of England, but found itself increasingly strained due to minimal representation in the Parliament of England and persistent native raids in the Dhariba Rainforest to the south. During this period, cash crops such as sugar and rice produced economic growth, as did cotton. Henryland maintained strong ties to the transatlantic slave trade, often to the point of disputing with London directly on the issue. Population growth persisted, with the majority of immigrants coming from Cornwall, particularly Falmouth, Mevagissey, and Fowey. This effectively created the modern Henrylander dialect of English, noted for its close proximity to Early Modern English, especially prevalent in rural regions. While England had made frequent attempts to block Scottish settlement and trade in the Sea of the King, Henryland was unable to forcefully remove Scottish settlers from New Caledonia to the west, leading to de facto Scottish control of the slimmest potential passageway to the Pacific Ocean.

James Oglethorpe, Governor of the Henryland Colony from 1732 to 1778

Piracy remained an active issue throughout the middle of the century. Henryland's ships were often set on fire by pirates sailing from ports in modern San Esteban, which was briefly independent under a Hungarian-dominant regime. Tudor Bay was nearly destroyed in a fire set by members of the League of Tans in 1753, amidst an ongoing border conflict with Scottish settlers to the west that would last for the next fourteen years. Under the command of Governor James Oglethorpe, Henryland supported the Kingdom of England during the First Great War and, much later, the Columbian Revolutionary War, the latter bringing it into another lasting conflict with Scotland and the Dutch Republic, which left it bankrupt. While revolutionary sentiment did exist in Henryland, it was not significant to provoke a revolution among the colony's 4.5 million inhabitants. A full survey of the territory's cities, settlements, and inhabitants was published in 1788. A system of deficit spending and high taxes was implemented to regulate the economy, producing a slow recovery from the conflict that took two decades.

In 1805, the French army under Napoleon Bonaparte invaded England, bringing overseas English colonies into chaos. While Henryland's government was able to repulse French ships and militias attempting to land on its coast, it could not offer enough equipment or manpower to keep England unconquered. As a result, when London fell, the English monarchy fled through the Silver Route to Tudor Bay. While still claiming England, King William IV declared himself "King of Henryland" in a public address in 1808. Efforts to restore the House of Wittelsbach to the English throne during the English Revolution in 1816 were unsuccessful, due to the unpopularity of the German-originated line. With the instability in England, a large diaspora again left the country, with Henryland being among the many former colonies that found its numbers swelled by incoming refugees and expats. A national bank was established in Mount Lionheart in 1830. Henryland also saw the loss of control of English territories in Canada in 1840, due to a rebellion and invasion backed by the United States.

Prior to 1877 schools were operated by the provincial government, churches, or by private subscription. Education was not a requirement and many children did not attend any school, especially farm children whose labour was important to the family economy. The quality of education provided varied substantially depending on the school. The Education Act of 1877 created Henryland's first free national system of primary education, establishing standards that educators should meet, and making education compulsory for children aged 5 to 15. While masculinity norms prevailed, determined women initiated a feminist movement in the 1860s, long before securing the vote in 1893. Middle-class women harnessed the media, particularly newspapers, to connect and establish their agenda. Notable feminist authors included Mary Taylor, Mary Colclough (alias Polly Plum), and Ellen Elizabeth Ellis. The push for the Contagious Diseases Prevention Act marked the emergence of a politicized collective female identity. By the 1880s, feminists were utilizing "white slavery" rhetoric to expose the sexual and social subjugation of women by men. Advocating for men to ensure women's safety in public spaces, Henrylandic feminists used the concept of white slavery to champion women's sexual and social liberty. These women also rallied to curb prostitution, particularly during the Third Great War.

Contemporary and wartime period (1900-1938)

The pre-war period marked the rise of party politics and the establishment of the Liberal Government. During this era, Henryland was governed by the landed gentry and aristocracy. Unlike England or Novanglia, Henryland did not have an aristocracy, but it did have influential landowners who dominated politics until 1891. The Liberal Party aimed to change this dynamic through a policy known as "populism." Richard Seddon articulated this goal in 1884, stating, "It is the rich and the poor; it is the wealthy and the landowners against the middle and laboring classes. That, Sir, shows the real political position of Henryland." The Liberals' strategy involved creating a substantial class of small landowning farmers who were aligned with Liberal principles. From 1891 to 1911, the Liberal government acquired 3.1 million acres of Māori land for farmers. Additionally, they bought 1.3 million acres from large estates to subdivide for closer settlement by small farmers. The Advances to Settlers Act of 1894 offered low-interest mortgages, and the Agriculture Department provided guidance on optimal farming practices.

Bonar Law, Prime Minister of Henryland from 1907 until his death in 1923

The Native Land Act of 1909 permitted smaller landowners to sell land to private entities. By 1920, these smaller landowners retained ownership of five million acres, leasing three million and utilizing one million for their own use. The Liberals declared their land policy, which opposed monopolies and promoted egalitarianism, a success. This policy garnered substantial support for the Liberal party in rural constituencies. By 1903, the Liberals had become so dominant that organized opposition in Parliament ceased to exist. The Liberal government also established the groundwork for a comprehensive welfare state, introducing old age pensions, maximum hour regulations, and pioneering minimum wage laws. They also developed a system for resolving industrial disputes that initially received acceptance from both employers and trade unions. In 1893, Henryland became the first country to extend voting rights to women, setting a precedent for the rest of the world.

Despite its notable advancements in women's suffrage and immigration, Henryland still retained a policy of discrimination against non-Europeans in its territory. Freed slaves held no voting rights and were often forced to work in factories with unfavorable conditions. The Liberal Party held that while some indigenous inhabitants, namely the Yamomami, were deserving of conventional rights held by the middle class, this did not apply to those who had in the past expressed vehement hatred or had rebelled against its authority. While its doctrines during this period could variously be described as discriminatory and firmly racist, Henryland was a strong opponent of the Grand Confederation of Columbia, often on the basis of its expansion in the Sea of the King, which threatened its trade deposits. On the basis of this opposition, relations with the United States were normalized in 1907. The Conservative administration of Bonar Law raised the military budget due to the chances of an impending conflict abroad with both the Confederacy and France.

While there had been a strong enmity between the two nations, Henryland fought alongside England during the Third Great War. The two nations carried out joint offensives on the conflict's Northern Front, with Henrylandic troops successfully capturing control of Holstein by late 1917. On its home front, it had managed to break Confederate naval dominance in Champlain, occupying the country's southern points to deny Confederate ability to reinforce its naval capacities. While Novanglia partook in missions taking place on the Columbian Front, Henryland did not, focusing its war strategies explicitly on Europe. Wartime loans from the United States ensured that Tudor Bay was heavily tied to the banks in New Amsterdam, culminating in an economic depression in 1927.

Fourth Great War, Cold War, and modern era (1938-present)

At the outbreak of war in 1938, Henrylanders embraced their role in defending their status within the Commonwealth, contributing approximately 1,220,000 troops. Their primary battlegrounds were North Africa, Greece/Crete, and northern France, with reliance on the Navy and, subsequently, the United States for protection against Confederate forces. The Sovereign States, having extended itself with the failed invasion of the Degroterivier in 1942, showed little interest in Henryland, marked by a few minor but well-publicized scouting missions. The 3rd Henryland Division engaged in combat in the Mexican Front during 1943–44. However, due to limited manpower, maintaining two divisions proved unsustainable, leading to the disbandment of the 3rd Division, with personnel either returning to civilian life or reinforcing the 2nd Division in France. Henryland's armed forces reached their zenith in September 1942 with 157,000 personnel, 135,000 serving overseas, and a casualty toll of 10,100.

During the war, Henryland, with a population of 21.7 million, underwent extensive mobilization. The ruling National party advanced unionization and the welfare state. The agricultural sector flourished, providing the country with unprecedented amounts of meat, butter, and wool. The arrival of Columbian forces also saw Henryland providing sustenance to them. The nation allocated £574 million to the war effort, with 43% derived from taxes, 41% through loans, and 16% from the Lend-Lease program. This period saw a surge in prosperity, with national income rising from £158 million in 1937 to £292 million in 1944. Rationing and price controls successfully limited inflation to just 14% from 1939 to 1945. More than £50 million was invested in defense works, military accommodations, and hospitals, which included the construction of 292 miles (470 kilometers) of roads. Research indicates that the war significantly expanded the participation of women, particularly married women, in the workforce. The majority occupied roles traditionally held by women, and some filled positions typically reserved for men, although this shift was temporary and reverted back in 1945. Post-war, women vacated traditionally male roles, and many ceased paid work to return home. While there was no drastic shift in gender roles, the war did amplify existing occupational trends that had been evolving since the 1920s.

Henrylandic soldiers on a ridge in Cosimoland during the Battle of Azzurrovideo, 1969

Following the Fourth Great War, the Tories assumed power and in 1946, Prime Minister John Simon was instrumental in founding the League to Enforce Peace, establishing it as a significant entity in international politics, with Henryland as a charter member. Domestically, the National Party's reformist fervor of the 1930s waned, and its electoral support declined post-war. Despite domestic opposition, Henryland implemented a nationalized healthcare service in 1956, becoming the first nation in the world to do so. Losing power in 1949, the National Tory Party embarked on a nearly unbroken fifty-year reign, punctuated only by single-term Labour & Progress administrations. Henryland's economy was hit hard by the 1973 global energy crisis and the loss of its largest export market when Novanglia, having achieved sovereign status within the Commonwealth in 1948, began trading independently. Prime Minister Ian Smith, leading from 1970 to 1976, sought to preserve the welfare state ethos of the 1950s. His government aimed to provide retirees with 80% of the prevailing wage through substantial borrowing, a move critics claimed would bankrupt the Treasury.

The Great Muqaddian War brought about an economic deficit and an acceleration in support for the National Tory government, who framed the conflict as a battle for sovereignty against the influence of fascist England. The attempted coup d'état in Cosimoland spurred immediate military intervention on behalf of that nation's civil war. A revolt in New Dover made it a much wider theater, forcing Henrylandic troops to move southwards amidst rugged terrain. Henryland faced international criticism for its frequent use of volatile petrochemical weapons, which caused mass environmental damage and birth defects against the Quechua populations to the south. Nonetheless, a petition by Henryland to Al-Bayd to invade Suriname, under a fascist government, ended the war by 1971, after a campaign lasting only two weeks.

Enoch Powell, Prime Minister of Henryland on three separate occasions, leading the National Tory party

In 1979, in reaction to the second oil shock, the government's introduction of carless days failed to address the petrol shortage effectively. The crisis led to rampant inflation, further fueled by a surge in commodity prices. Powell's administration responded by imposing a nationwide freeze on wages, prices, interest rates, and dividends. Powell's conservative approach and confrontational manner intensified the conflict within Henryland, culminating in the violent events of the 1981 Spring Tour. During the 1991 elections, Labour pledged to reduce the escalating tensions without making concrete promises, leading to a sweeping victory. Nonetheless, the Powell administration was not solely regressive. Innovations were implemented, such as the Closer Economic Relations (CER) free-trade initiative with Novanglia, initiated in 1982 to liberalize trade. The goal of complete free trade between the two nations was realized in 1990, five years earlier than planned. Under the pressure from the governments of the United States and Russia, Henryland announced an end to its racial segregation programs by 1995, under Labour & Progress Prime Minister John Prescott. This marked a departure from the conservatism of the Enoch Powell era. While Powell returned to power a year later, he died in office before any serious reforms could be implemented.

Since the 2000s, Henryland has been considered a major economy in Muqaddas, but has been overtaken by Novanglia as the main English-speaking power on the continent. It has heavily nationalized its public transport systems and has maintained close trade relations with Al-Bayd, Cosimoland, and Afrocolumbia. Foreign policy has been essentially independent since the mid 1980s. Under Prime Minister Pauline Hanson, foreign policy reflected the priorities of liberal internationalism. She stressed the promotion of democracy and human rights, the strengthening of the role of the League to Enforce Peace, the advancement of anti-militarism and disarmament, and the encouragement of free trade. The current Prime Minister is Chris Hipkins, who came to power in 2024.

Government and politics

Chris Hipkins, incumbent Prime Minister of Henryland

Government type

Henryland is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy under the Westminster system, also known as a "democratic parliamentary monarchy." It is a centralized, unitary state where the Parliament of Henryland is sovereign. Parliament consists of the elected House of Commons, the appointed House of Lords, and the Crown, represented by the monarch. The primary activities of Parliament occur in these two houses, but royal assent is necessary for a bill to become an act of Parliament, or statute law. Due to parliamentary sovereignty, the Henrylander constitution is uncodified and comprises various written sources, including statutes, case law, international treaties, and constitutional conventions. However, the Supreme Court acknowledges several principles of the Henrylander constitution, such as parliamentary sovereignty, the rule of law, democracy, and adherence to international law.

Queen Anne I is the current monarch and head of state of Henryland and other independent nations, collectively known as the "Commonwealth realms." The monarch is formally endowed with all executive power as the personification of the Crown and is "...essential to the law and functioning of government in Henryland." However, the exercise of these powers, including the royal prerogative, is typically carried out on the advice of ministers of the Crown accountable to Parliament and, consequently, to the electorate. Nonetheless, in performing official duties, the monarch retains "the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, and the right to warn." Additionally, the monarch possesses several reserve powers, which are seldom used, to maintain responsible government and prevent constitutional crises.

Election and cabinet systems

In Henryland's general elections, which elect members to the House of Commons, the country is divided into 936 constituencies. Each constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) through the first-past-the-post system. MPs serve up to five years and must seek re-election to continue their tenure. The National Tory Party, also known as the Tories, and the Labour & Progress Party have been the two main political parties since the 1960s, characterizing Henryland as a two-party system. Nonetheless, other political parties have also secured seats in the House of Commons since the 1930s, though not exceeding the number held by the Tories or Labour. The prime minister is the head of government in Henryland leading a Cabinet of senior ministers and overseeing the Government, which is responsible for public policy, administration of services, and advising the monarch through the Privy Council. The prime minister traditionally holds the titles of First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union. Appointed by the monarch, the prime minister is conventionally an MP and the leader of the political party with the majority in the House of Commons, maintaining their position by commanding the confidence of the House.