Patagonia (Cherry, Plum, and Chrysanthemum)

Patagonia Timeline: Cherry, Plum, and Chrysanthemum OTL equivalent: Argentine Patagonia and Falkland Islands
Flag Coat of arms
Motto:  Desire the Right
Anthem:  Ode to Patagonia
Location of Patagonia (Cherry, Plum, and Chrysanthemum) Location of Patagonia
Capital		New Cardiff
Official languages		English
Ethnic groups		English; Welsh; Scots; Spanish; French; Amerindians; Japanese; Lebanese; Syrians
Religion		Christianity; Irreligion; Buddhism; Islam
Demonym		Patagonian
Government		Unitary state; Parliamentary constitutional monarchy
-	King	Charles III
-	Governor-General	Martin Buzzi
-	Prime Minister	Martin Lousteau
Legislature		National Assembly of Patagonia
-	Upper house	Senate
-	Lower house	House of Commons
Establishment
-	Patagonia Home Rule Act	March 1, 1871
-	Statute of Westminster	December 1, 1931
Population
-	estimate	2,000,000
Currency		Patagonian pound (PGP)
Time zone		PST (UTC−3)
Internet TLD		.pg
Calling code		+55

Patagonia is a country in South America. Located in the southern part of the continent, Patagonia is the largest Anglophone country in both South America and the Latin American region. Patagonia is bordered by Argentina to the north, Chile to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the waters of the Drake Passage to the south. Patagonia is a Commonwealth realm, with King Charles III as its head of state. Patagonia has the third-largest economy in Latin America and is a member of the Commonwealth Confederation

Patagonia was originally claimed by the Spanish. However, following the British-Argentinian War between 1872 and 1884, the British dominance expanded southward from New Cardiff colony to the Tierra del Fuego and remained so until it gained self-governance status within the British Empire in 1934. Initially, the settlements, mostly by the Welsh and the Scots, only concentrated on the areas near New Cardiff and the northern frontiers. The gold rushes of the late 19th century in the Tierra del Fuego led to the founding of numerous small settlements by immigrants from Europe, Chile and Argentina in the southern frontiers.

History

Mapuche uprisings

Orélie-Antoine de Tounens (1825–1878), self-proclaimed "King of Araucania and Patagonia" and early member of Patagonian parliament.

In November 1860, French explorer and adventurer Orélie-Antoine de Tounens declared himself as "King of Araucania and Patagonia" before the Mapuche tribes in Chile. The declaration led to the Occupation of Araucania by the Chilean forces. Despite the Chilean government had accused Antoine de Tounens as insane, they feared his supposed influence to the Mapuches will eventually trouble them at then or in future. Antoine de Tounens escaped by a close call from the Chilean capture after a betrayal by his servant. Pursued by the Chilean Army, Antoine de Tounens crossed to the British claimed territory in the east on January 5, 1862.

The British, unlike the Chileans, perceived Antoine de Tounens as harmless and eventually turned a blind eye on him. The Chileans were warned not to dare to cross the border in sort of an invasion or military campaign to British Patagonia, thus sparing de Tounens' life. Although the British did not recognize Antoine de Tounens's royal claim, they did perceive him as a spokesperson for the Mapuches. At the permission from loncos (Mapuche chiefs), de Tounens led a Mapuche delegation to meet the representatives of British Crown in Neuquén on April 8, 1862 at the latter's invitation.

The meeting between the representatives of Mapuche chiefs and of the British Crown resulted to the signing of Treaty of Neuquén on April 12, 1862, recognizing the rights and powers of the British Crown in the Mapuche lands in northern Patagonia in return of full rights and protections of the Mapuches as British subjects and of guarantee to their continued ownership of the lands. With the signing, the British were free to expand their influence westward, doubling their colonial possessions which previously limited to the Welsh colonies along the coast of the lower Chubut Valley and to the formerly Spanish colonies at the estuary of the Negro River.

British territorial expansions were not welcomed by the Chileans, who also claimed the southern end of South American continent as theirs.

Further readings