v1.01 THE BRITISH CROWN THE BRITISH CROWN A dominion upon which the sun never sets. The Pax Britannica. The Crown Inviolate. Such statements once shook palaces and humbled kings. Those days are now slowly slipping away like the memories of a half-remembered dream. The Crown is no longer the pre-eminent industrial power, and its armies and navies no longer unchallenged in their dominions. Yet, there shall always be strength in the men and women of Albion, and the Crown has many loyal servants still. Rebels, traitors, foreign despots, tyrants and petty kings; The Crown has faced many before and shall do so again before the light fades. This world belongs rightfully to the Crown and let those who arrogantly say otherwise incur the wrath of the righteous, God Save the Queen! THE BRITISH CROWN v1.01 General-Feldmarschall, royal bureaucracy that was the envy of European monarchs in its rigidity and Please find below as requested the intelligence its organisational skill. Justice, wealth briefing compiled by Cadet Steiner at the Staff and power flowed from the monarch Academy in Berlin. What his writing lacks in directly through royal servants without strict discipline he makes up for with an eye the normal intermediaries of overmighty for detail and a clear grasp of political realities. feudal subjects vying for power and I have taken the liberty of leaving the status. [Examiner’s Note: True, but where comments of the examiner in place to and are you going with this?] This habit of welcome your own assessment of the piece. centralising royal power soon extended It would be a great honour to have one of into centralising geographical power my students accepted for further intelligence on the British Isles. It was the Kingdom training. of England that waged war or settled the outer kingdoms of Wales, Scotland Do not hesitate to contact me if you need any and Ireland to form a United Kingdom further details on the Cadet. of Great Britain and Ireland, and this Sincerely, centralising mission has underpinned all Oberst Jungl of the Crown’s policies since. [Examiner’s Note: A fair point well argued.] A STRATEGIC AND POLITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DOMINIONS OF BLOODSTAINED PAGES THE BRITISH CROWN OF MISERY Submitted for the Intelligence Exam at the That mission, to impose order upon a Prussian Army Staff Academy disordered world, has not been without setbacks and challenges even as it delivered By Cadet A. Steiner great successes. The Crown’s efforts to involve itself seriously in European affairs THE SCEPTRED ISLE have, throughout history, chiefly been Much like our French neighbours, the poorly managed affairs, although it can be British Crown and the Dominions it rules said that the Crown always learns its lesson. has a long and storied history stretching For example, the Royal domains claimed back nearly into antiquity. At first by the English in France since the time of conquered by the Romans, then invaded by William the Conqueror were never loyal Vikings and Normans in the Early Middle enough to be incorporated into the realm Ages, the British Isles were a crucible of permanently. Whilst monarchs made small war and struggle that necessitated strong attempts to recover them at various points centralised leadership. [Examiner’s Note: in history, it is clear that this became a Fanciful and stylistic. Hardly in keeping with matter of prestige and policy rather than a military essay.] a genuine national objective. The Crown Since those Dark Ages onwards, the learned from the experience that lands Kingdom of England developed a not easily conformed to Anglo-Saxon norms were clearly not worth the effort of v1.01 THE BRITISH CROWN keeping, and it allowed the lands in France forces proved well able to hold their ground to be stripped away by resurgent French against the Royalists. Much of England was sentiments during the Middle Ages. ravaged again as the tide of war rumbled back and forth across the kingdoms, and at The greatest historical mistake made by the sea the two sides fell upon one another in a Crown occurred during the reign of King furious contest. Charles I. Whilst attempting to continue the process of centralising his own rule, In the end, Cromwell’s death in 1658 whilst Charles I made the mistake of placing his in the field against Scottish Royalists at the personal ambitions above the corporate Second Battle of Dunbar was the turning ambitions of the crown that he was born point of the war. Indeed, as mentioned to bear. In foisting his own personal rule it is likely his Protectorate would have on his subjects, Charles precipitated the crumbled without him, even if he had died greatest crisis in the Crown’s history by during peacetime [Examiner’s Note: An encouraging bloody rebellion against the interesting hypothesis – not the place to expand very idea of the British monarchy. it of course]. In the end, a further three years of bloody campaigning would finally The ensuing Civil Wars (and there were place Prince Charles on the throne. several) tore the kingdom apart and threatened to permanently end the Crown’s THE RESTORATION reign. A republican regime led first by Parliament, then by radicals in the Army Before his ascension to the throne, Charles and finally under the personal control of one II was known for his fondness for drink, for Oliver Cromwell, replaced the monarchy women and for the finer things in life. Upon in Great Britain and executed King Charles his ascension as King Charles the Restored, I for treason against his own people. The however, the terrible cost of reclaiming royal family fled into exile, and the new his inheritance and the shattered state of Protectorate placed the country under an the kingdoms itself blackened his mood. unpopular tyranny (although the extent of He has since been dubbed the “Morose that tyranny has since been exaggerated by Monarch” in popular opinion, but his sober historians.) [Examiner’s Note: Keep your governmental choices and the policies he historical asides to yourself in future!] established have set a pattern for Crown history ever since. That the exiled monarchy did not simply wait for the Protectorate to collapse is Charles II acknowledged the mistakes made something of a mystery, but instead of by his father and vowed never to repeat them biding his time, Prince Charles duly raised again. Insisting upon a contract or agreement an army of his own whilst in exile and between the Crown and its favoured subjects re-invaded his own realm to reclaim the that would ensure popular support for the throne. The subsequent War of Reconquest monarchy. Only when the Crown and the was worse than any of the preceding Civil national interests were seen to be one and the Wars. Under the superb command of an same could the Crown hope to survive in an ailing Oliver Cromwell the republican uncertain world. THE BRITISH CROWN v1.01 Under his direction, the Crown massively to replace the medieval plan fought over expanded its reach in day-to-day affairs in during the Civil Wars. its domains, with royal officials becoming Worse still, and still argued by historians, it vital instruments in even the most benign of is presumed but not proved that Charles II transactions and dealings. Nonetheless, a played a hand in the mysterious death of his restricted but powerful legislative structure brother James in 1685. James would have was put in place to ensure that royal power succeeded to the throne upon his brother’s was always tempered by the consent of the death but was considered dangerous for his people – at least in a controlled way. religious beliefs (a Catholic in a Protestant Indeed, some of Charles II’s darker acts country – religion played a major part in are those most meaningful for modern the Civil Wars) and political views coloured observers of the Crown. Under his direction by exile in France and Spain during the a powerful Royal Navy was built up with the Wars of Restoration. James’ reign would sole purpose of defending the home islands have been a disaster – or at least so Charles but also to extent British power abroad. II and his government came to believe – Colonies established in North America by and he was quietly removed. exiles fleeing the Civil Wars and religious Charles II clung on to life and died in 1689 persecution swiftly found themselves aged 58 – his last few years likely extended brought back under British control. At by his strict abstinence compared to the sea, Charles’ Royal Navy waged a brutal heady days of his youth. He was succeeded, campaign against European powers in the as agreed, by King William III, Prince of Caribbean, often under the cover of piracy, Orange and grandson of King Charles I, to guarantee British wealth. [Examiner’s nephew to the “Morose Monarch.” Note: This does not seem like a particular dark action – perhaps you have omitted reference RULE BRITANNIA to the slave trade for fear of your audience’s sensibilities? Do not do so again - to provide From the experiences of the Middle accurate intelligence to the Imperium we Ages, the Civil Wars and the Restoration, must supply all possible facts, no exceptions.] the British Crown learned three important lessons: At home, Charles became increasingly concerned about the defensibility of the 1. The realm needed to be culturally towns and cities of his own realm. In 1666 homogenous – if not entirely universal, at a ruthless campaign of clearances and least at the administrative level the methods deliberate demolition was unleashed on and assumptions of governance had to be London in order to restore the city to glory the same.