Grønbjerg

The Principality of Grønbjerg is the northernmost of the states of the Empire, and one of the oldest, having been founded as the Imperial House of the old Triselene Imperium in 1998.

The name is that of the Principality’s ruling house: Grønbjerg, from the Danish language, meaning “green mountain” – a reference to the family’s heritage in the Schleswig-Holstein border country, and to the forested slopes of the Appalachian Mountains which make up much of the Principality’s land. In English the name is usually pronounced, more or less, GROAN-byerg, although attempts to reproduce the original Danish rendition of the name are considered something of a national sport, and particularly good (or amusing) efforts are generally met with applause.

The Principality’s territory consists of twenty counties, stretching from Northumberland in the south to Cortland in the north, covering a total of 14,111 square miles (36,547 square kilometers) – an area slightly smaller than the Netherlands. The capital city is Athens in Bradford County. The terrain is largely mountainous: the southern counties are dominated by the Ridge and Valley province of the Appalachians; to the north lies the wild, broken terrain of the Allegheny Plateau; and the northern borders of the Principality run through the glacier-carved Finger Lakes.

The Principality’s government is a constitutional monarchy. Although the current constitution grants the Prince broad powers, it also places restrictions on how he may use them, and guarantees equal rights to all. The current Prince is Alan Cameron Caum, styled His Royal Highness the Prince of Grønbjerg, born 3 September 1983 in Wrangell, Alaska in the United States. He has been the leader of Grønbjerg, in all its various forms, from its inception in 1998.

Arms

Per pile reversed azure and vert overall an eagle displayed Or langued gules bearing upon its breast the inescutcheon: Azure a cross pattée encircled by a vol Or.

Meaning: The inverted pile represents a green mountain (“Grønbjerg”); the cross pattée is the ancient symbol of the Principality, which together with the vol formed the emblem of the Triselene Imperium, which was ruled by the House of Grønbjerg.