The Forums of Glennain

THE KINGDOM OF SCONELAND: Questions & Answers


1. So, the Kingdom of Varennes is now the Kingdom of Sconeland. Why the change?

The whole community is in the process of undergoing a complete transformation at the moment. Up to now, the Kingdom of Hanover had been an unruly cultural hodge-podge, awkwardly combining English, German, Greek, Russian, and even ancient Roman cultural elements. As such, the community lacked any sort of cultural harmony; in fact, Hanover made no sense at all, culturally speaking. Therefore it was determined to clean up the cultural mess, as it were, and to refashion Hanover in such a way as to cause her to be unmistakably Anglophile in character.

Hanover's sister community, Varennes, had a distinctly Francophile character about her, and it was decided that her French-inspired atmosphere was, after all, incompatible with Hanover's Anglicization. It was determined, therefore, to redefine that Kingdom along Celtic lines, as a celebration of the Scotch, Irish, and Welsh cultures.

2. Whence the name "Sconeland"?

The name is an homage primarily to Scotland, but also to England. It comes from the celebrated "Stone of Scone" upon which all Scottish monarchs were crowned. The Stone of Scone had been kept at Scone Abbey in Scone, Scotland. The Stone of Scone was brought to Westminster Abbey by King Edward I as a spoil of war in 1296 and was placed in the base of the Coronation Chair used during the sacring of the kings and queens of England, and later of the United Kingdom. The Stone of Scone was returned to Scotland in 1996.

3. But "Sconeland"? The name sounds faintly ridiculous. It can hold no appeal for serious micronationalists.

That's fine. We aren't "micronationalists" and we aren't attempting to appeal to them. The name has an intentional tongue-in-cheek quality to it, for which we offer no apologies.

4. But I am a micronationalist! Am I not welcome to join your community?

You're most welcome, of course, provided you understand that participation in the "micronational world" (whatever that may be; our people live on Earth) is not what we're about. We have no made-up "history", we hold no place on a fake map, we do not have "treaties" with simulated communists, we have no fake popes running around, no pretend armies engaging in make-believe battles, no elven humanoids, no faeries (at least not of the winged variety), and our subjects don't go about changing their bloody names every two weeks. If that's the sort of experience you're looking for, you haven't found what you're looking for, here.

But if you enjoy history and politics and tradition, especially of the British variety, then you may well enjoy becoming a participant in this community.

5. So is this, then, a community just for persons of English, Irish, Scottish, or Welsh heritage?

No, Sconeland and Hanover, both, welcome anyone interested in becoming a part of our community, regardless of anyone's ethnic heritage. You don't need to be British to love the British Isles, British history, and/or traditional British pomp and circumstance. This community means to represent all of that and is glad to welcome any who admire, cherish, and enjoy the same.

6. No separate Parliament for Sconeland, then?

No separate Parliament, Government, or Privy Council. And soon, no separate Gazette. A union of two kingdoms under one Crown and one Parliament is the idea. We will continue to advance toward that goal as the Summer progresses.

7. But Sconeland will have a separate Peerage.

Yes, indeed. Splendid ranks and titles are a large part of what we're all about here, and the more available to us, the better.

8. Aren't you essentially mimicking Great Britain?

Yes, we bloody well are, and we make no apologies for it. This community is meant to be a haven for lovers of all things British.

9. So, there's no chance that I could come in and create, say, a "Serbian Orthodox Church of Sconeland"?

No chance, whatsoever. The practice of persons erecting simulated discussion board "churches" is a micronationalistic practice, to begin with, and we don't do that sort of thing around here any longer. Such churches had been created in the past, but they proved contentious and, frankly, smacked too much of make-believe, not to mention sacrilege. One worships at a house of worship, at any rate, and not on a posting board. Furthermore, elements of that sort which are so utterly inharmonious with the prevailing cultures of these realms are no longer welcome.

11. But what about the Church of Hanover, in that case?

The established Church of Hanover is merely a cultural arm of the state, and one that is in complete harmony with the culture of this community. It is not meant to be a religious community or any sort of a venue for worship, but rather a means by which to formally organize the Lords of the First Estate. The Church of Hanover does, however, make for a convenient venue through which our people may discuss religious topics. All of that having been said, the Church of Hanover is being reconsidered at the moment, and her fate is uncertain.

12. But I want something Greek!

Well, then you've really gotten off at the wrong exit. This community is not about to surrender her established cultural identity for the sake of individuals who aren't satisfied with it. We are, as you have certainly gathered by now, a culturally Anglo-Celtic community, period. If you need something Greek, or French, or Scandinavian, or anything other than what we offer, there are other communities that you can join that will satisfy your ethnic longings.

13. The King recently revised his style and titles to include the style "King of Cambria". Why?

Certain former subjects of His Majesty were up to mischief, lately, and they created their own, break-away "Kingdom of Hanover", completely aping this community in every respect, right down to the "HaNgOvEr" pub forum. The Crown determined, therefore, that this other Hanover must necessarily be a possession of the true King of Hanover, King James II. Later, these usurpers changed the name of their Anti-Hanover to "Cambria", and so it was that King James II became King of Cambria.

Needless to say, the King is King of Cambria in a de jure sense, only, not a de facto one. The scenario is comparable to the title "King of France" as borne by the kings and queens of England for centuries (to the grave irritation of the French monarchy) until the latter part of the reign of George III. It's all just a grand taunt; a matter of tit for tat.

14. You screwed up the numbering on the Charter of Sconeland.

We did, indeed, much to our chagrin. It's all fixed now.

Any more questions? Post them here and they will be cheerfully answered.

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Today, the palace received a letter from a visitor inquiring as to why Parliament was dissolved. Our writer revealed that he had grown up in a country ruled by a tyrannical absolute monarch, and expressed his concern that he would simply encounter more of the same in Hanover and Sconeland.

Dear Visitor:

If you wade through the Ellicott Square forum, you will discover the sequence of events that led to the dissolution of Parliament by His Majesty the King. The most succinct answer, however, is that a group of Subjects left at once over a matter concerning the Church of Hanover. When they could not impose their will on the rest of us, they decided to leave. This left only a handful of subjects, and so Parliament was no longer sustainable.

To have an active Parliament, people are necessary. Once we have enough willing persons around (if ever), Parliament will be summoned once again. So if Parliament is your thing, join us and encourage your friends to do likewise.

As far as concerns about tyranny go, no such thing is possible, here. Our people come and go as they please, of course. They cannot be jailed or compelled to do things they don't want to. Every subject comes to us voluntarily, and any subject is free to say goodbye to us at any time he or she wishes to.

While there aren't any opportunities for tyranny, here, there are plenty of opportunities for political and historical debate and discussion, for a satisfying legislative experience (at times when Parliament is convened), and for revelling in tradition, pomp, and ceremony. That's what this community about.

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Lord Mountcastle,

Sorry to correct you, but I guess Sir Peter Smythe misinformed you: I was born and raised in the USA, but many people on my mother's side of the family still live in Saudi Arabia.

I have been reading the old posts to see more about the events you describe, and as far as I can see these people didn't decide to leave, they were kicked out. The Instrument of Deprivation and Excommunication which you posted in the Oxbridge Gazette forum says "We do also herewith deprive the aformentioned traitors of their seats in Our Parliament at Bergen and do finally deprive them indefinitely of their citizenships within Our Realms of Hanover and Varennes:"

Neither in this post nor in your email to me did you explain the abrogation of the constitution, though, which is a much more important thing than any of this. I understand why there has not been a Parliament, if Hanover doesn't have enough members for it, but why repeal the constitution?

Mr. Bessarion:

You're free, of course, to interpret the events leading up to the dissolution of Parliament as your wits permit you to, but you were not here at that time, and your understanding of the interpersonal dynamics of those days is not a thorough understanding, as a result. There is ample record in the forums which modifies your assertion, however.

Our inadequate Constitution, so flawed and unrepresentative of our community as it was, had to be abrogated to allow those of us who remain here to freely attend, legally, to the transformation that we, together, have decided upon. This community, as you have by now surely read, is undergoing a rather substantial transformation; a clean-up if you will. Those of us who are still here are taking the opportunity of Hanover's near abandonment to make long-necessary changes, and it would have been foolish of us to allow our hands to be tied by a document which no longer expressed the character and aspirations of the remaining community. The Constitution exists for the community, after all, and not vice-versa.

In America, the written Constitution is considered sacrosanct. In the United Kingdom, however, a nation we emulate, the idea of a written constitution is a foreign one altogether. There, constitutional elements are rather more fluid and alterable than in the United States (although the US Constitution is also amendable and many amendments have been made to it over time).

In future, while certain written constitutional elements may be introduced from time to time (such as the Charter of Sconeland), this community will observe the British tradition of a mostly unwritten, uncodified constitution.

The last point I'd like to make, Mr. Bessarion, is that the constitution you are referencing is by no means this community's first: it's something like our third or fourth charter, now. So tearing up inadequately-devised parchments that bind us too strictly to the often partisan paradigms that devised them is, at any rate, nothing new to us. To any seasoned Hanoverian, the national act of tearing-up an outmoded charter and starting afresh is a decidedly unshocking thing.

True, the days you reference and which seem to concern you so despite the fact that you weren't around to experience them, were dark days for Hanover. But just as the day follows the night, after the darkness, Mr. Bessarion, comes the light.



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I received a private message from a user today who expressed concern over the fact that I appear to be wearing a crown in my avatar photo.

Dear Concerned:

The headdress you see in my avatar is not a crown, but a coronet. A coronet is similar to a crown, but lacks arches. All Peers of the Realm are entitled to wear both coronets and special robes spotted with "doublets" indicating the peerage rank of the wearer.

For more about coronets as worn by peers, click on the link, below:

http://www.edeandravenscroft.co.uk/cerem.../coronets/