| Margrjet | |
|---|---|
| |
| Queen of Álengiamark | |
| Reign | 30th September, 1771 - 18th January, 1783 |
| Predecessor | Herridr I |
| Successor | Thorey V |
| Born | 5th December, 1722 St. Hafdiss, Sudervik Fylk, Álengiamark |
| Died | 18th January, 1783 Alexandría Höfðingustr, Unamiland Fylk, Álengiamark |
| Spouse | Caesare Gonzaga of Guastalla |
| Issue | Herridr Þorsteinn |
| Full name | |
| Margrjet Bryndís Herridr Þorsteinnsdottír | |
| House | Eiriksdottír |
| Father | Þorsteinn Jóhannsson |
| Mother | Herridr I |
Queen Margrjet was queen of Álengiamark for a decade during the later 18th century. Her reign continued many of the good economic policies which had seen the country quickly become a major power, but crucially failed to develop and modernise Álengiamark's political structure.
The main thread throughout Margrjet's reign was a huge shift in who owned the mostly empty Western and southern lands. The shift was triggered by the dismantling of serfdom in Margirhaedeyja. This was mostly a result of tax riots in Kristjanaborg and other towns still technically under the governance of the local earls, rather than the serfs out in the rural communities themselves but the riots exposed the limits of the earl's power and the Althing, noting the success of revoking serfdom in other countries forced the earl's hand. The countryside quickly emptied out as the formally enserfed families looked for better opportunities on the east coast and in the cities. The Althing voted through huge compensation packages for those Margirhaedeyja lords who lost their indentured workforce and then had to concede considerable freedoms from taxation for all the nobles in country to make up for the slow movement of the workforce towards the cities.
Canny merchants saw the opportunity in this empty land and bought it up cheaply, not only in Margirhaedeyja, but Unamiland and Nanticokeland too. Kristjanaborg merchants formed the 'Cheasapeake Company' which loaned farmers the capital to exploit the empty land and the stocks were freely traded. This was mildly successful but only really took off when refugees from the Great Baltic War were welcomed in. Svealanders and Finns and in time they were joined by Germans and Wessexians. The Álengsk too were tempted back out of the cities but they mostly went as landlords rather than as farmers themselves.
This influx of Lutheran refugees would cause consternation and restrictive anti-Lutheran measures were passed, excluding Lutherans from almost all positions of power. Complaints that the new communities were not 'Álengsk enough' abounded (although exactly what constituted Álengsk culture was never exactly defined considering there were many native Leifian communities within its borders which still clung to old traditions) and led to new education laws which prohibited any language apart from Álengsk being taught.
As the land shifted from the earls' ownership to private farmers, really quite quickly in many places, and the cities grew exponentially, the Althing singularly failed to keep up. It did not add or adjust single county to better represent the new population patterns leading to the plainly ridiculous situation where huge Kristjanaborg had a total of six Althing seats and tiny coastal villages had one. All the Althing representatives were effectively elected for life and hence had little inclination to change the system and nor did they have to worry much about re-election.
Margrjet married Caesare Gonzaga of Guastalla in 1740. His arrival in Álengiamark would spur a interest in Italianate art and architecture amongst the nobility and merchants keen to follow fashion. She and Caesar had 7 children, however only Thorey survived past the age of 5. Thorey was henceforth doted on, both by Margrjet and her grandmother Herridr I, and this probably explains her ease with spending in later life.
Margrjet died in January 1783 of pneumonia, and was succeeded by Thorey.
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