L'histoire de la Principauté
June 21, 2011
Birth of the Principality
It was during an evening washed down with rosé that a group of friends came to discuss the princely weddings that were making the news. From this altogether banal conversation, the guests come to imagine what Aigues-Mortes could well give, if it were a Principality like Monaco. From there, creativity and humor mingle with the conversation to end in a solemn declaration for the creation of the Principality of Aigues-Mortes. Based on what right? Undoubtedly the most ancestral of all since it was proclaimed by the grace of our good rosé. This famous wine of the sands of which our city is the undisputed capital.
What at first was a joke between friends, remains in the minds of Olivier Martinez and Jean-Pierre Pichon, in search of associative and solidarity activity in a city where they had recently settled. They are thus developing the young project, to make it a tool that is as playful and offbeat as it is useful and supportive for the city. The Principality as a country where life is seen in rosé (pink colored wine) is gaining ground. But who would be the Prince and Princess of Aigues-Mortes?
August 8, 2011
Designation of the princely couple
The answer to this question came quite naturally during a second evening, August 8, 2011, when Olivier was celebrating his 40th birthday. The happy guests had all dressed up for the occasion as stars of the 80s. Olivier had dressed up as Alexis Colby. The rosé flows freely and the guests end up deciding to take a tour of the city to show off. The merry band begins its procession despite the pain in the feet that high-heeled shoes can cause on centuries-old cobblestones. It was then that during their visit to the Grand Rue, a little girl on a balcony exclaimed: "Vive la Princesse!" seeing this yet ungraceful Alexis Colby on her heels. General laughter, and the proclamation instantly adopted by everyone. The Principality had just found its Princess, for the Prince, we then designated his friend Jean-Pierre who was crowned on the spot: Prince Jean-Pierre IV Why IV and not 1st? Because the guests found it wiser to give the number of the bar license to the new Prince of the Pays du Rosé rather than to do as elsewhere.
Olivier then begins a long work of presenting the Principality of Aigues-Mortes to the merchants of the city. He imagined it as a fun way to promote the city and the initiatives that are developing there, using its offbeat context. Traders quickly adhere to this concept. We start imagining princely events to promote "Made in Aigues-Mortes". This first year, the Principality has 94 citizens.
2012
May 7, 2012 is the test day for the new princely couple, who although having received great support from traders, have yet to be accepted by the inhabitants of the city. The inauguration of the princely cuvée is the first official outing and takes on the air of a poker coup or even an enthronement. The Prince and Princess are transported to Place Saint-Louis, the heart of the city, in a horse-drawn carriage and under good escort. There, a crowded square awaits them. Neither Jean-Pierre IV nor his singular Olivia-Eugénie expected this. Word of mouth had attracted a large number of people, amused to see what could be likened to a remake of Le Luron's marriage with Coluche. The crowd chants "Long live the Prince and long live the Princess", a Princess who will end up with her head in the hood of the carriage when getting out (For the record, the incident was caused by an unexpected movement of the horse). A general burst of laughter then resounded on the square, immediately making this "Madame", their improbable sovereign. An impromptu party in the square followed the thunderous arrival of the princely couple and the first speech of a Prince who was really not very comfortable speaking in public.
Creation of the Prince's Guard which presented itself at the First Grand Princely Ball organized in September of the same year. The Ball was a huge success and has since become a traditional gala during which the Prix de Constance is awarded. This is an honorary prize dedicated to a person who has carried out a significant action for the well-being of the inhabitants of Aigues-Mortes. This Prize is managed by the Princess Olivia-Eugenie Foundation for social and cultural support.
May 7, 2012
Inauguration of the Princely Cuvée
First official release and public approval
2013 - 2014
Creation of the Grand Prince's Council. Executive power is now shared in a college made up of 12 Grand Councillors, including the Princely Couple. The Principality has started issuing passports for its 160 citizens.
The Principality is beginning to forge ties with other micronations, but this introduction is not without problems. The reason for this is mainly the Princess whose peculiarity displeases some Puritan micronations in the United States and of Orthodox faith in Russia and Eastern Europe. A cyber harassment engages a real war between several progressive micronations and others with a very conservative movement. This conflict will go as far as an exhibition of the Princess on the Russian social network Veka with comments inciting homophobic hatred. The Principality of Aigues-Mortes will choose the total rupture of relations with these hostile micronations. But hateful exchanges of their citizens continued until 2015. The episode will deeply mark the micronational sphere in the world by the violence of the words exchanged, bringing to light different visions of culture and tolerance. These conflicts will be at the origin of the creation of Microfrancophonie, the international organization of French-speaking micronations.
2015
The Principality has 280 citizens. Prince-Sovereign Jean-Pierre IV began to study the establishment of a real additional local currency called "Flamingo" (Flamingo). A first official meeting with the Mayor of Aigues-Mortes is organized for this purpose. The Prince obtains the moral support of the town hall to create this currency which will have a legal tender. (It will be legal tender because its use will respect the legal framework of the French law on complementary currencies.) The Grand Prince Council becomes the Prince's Cabinet. The Government is no longer a college and the principality's civil responsibility now rests solely on the shoulders of the Prince and the Chancellor. This new form of government is approved by the vote of the Citizens' General Assembly, as our parliament is called.
Creation of Microfrancophonie, a French-speaking intermicronational organization. The Principality of Aigues-Mortes is one of the 6 founding Micronations. Princess Olivia-Eugénie is elected First Secretary General of this organization.
The same year, the Principality of Aigues-Mortes took part in its first intermicronational event in Gubbio, Italy. This is the second Polination conference. This is a first major step in the positioning of the Principality abroad which will lead to the creation of solid links between the Principality of Aigues-Mortes, the Grand Duchy of Flandrensis, the Empire of Angyalistan and the Republic Royal of Ladonia.
2016
The Principality has 322 citizens. It organizes and hosts the first summit of the MicroFrancophonie organization. A media-press service is now fully operational. RTAM (Radio Television of the Principality of Aigues-Mortes) now has a complete and totally independent team to follow the life of the principality and regularly broadcast national news and documentaries. The national press now has a newspaper (Aigues-Matin) and a magazine (Aigues-Match), both supervised and edited by an independent team made up of volunteer citizens.
2017
The Principality has 370 citizens. In April, she took part in the second meetings of the Microfrancophonie in Luxembourg. The national bulletin "Aigues-Morning" is now also published in English.
After creating the BPAM, the Principality's Princely stock exchanges, equivalent to a national bank, the Prince launched the flamingo on May 21, a complementary local currency. The Principality becomes the first micronation in the world to put legal currency into circulation on its territory. The equivalent of €115,000 is put into circulation. The flamingo is accepted by 65 shops and restaurants in the city. With this currency, the Principality encourages the population to prefer local products and services by making them cheaper. The ecological impact is also positive since the currency organizes consumption in a short and closed circuit.
In June, the Principality takes part in the 2nd MicroCon in Atlanta. During this conference, friendly ties were established with historical North American micronations such as the Republic of Molossia, the Grand Duchy of Westarctica and the Kingdoms of Ruritania and Slabovia.
In September, the Prince welcomes a group of 17 students from the Johannes Gütenberg Institute of Geography at the University of Mainz. This is the first time in France that a micronation has been the subject of an academic study.
In October, diplomatic trips continue with the first official visit to the Free Republic of Saugeais. The Prince was invited to take part in the celebration of the 70th anniversary of this micronation which is one of the oldest in France.
2018
The Principality has 412 citizens and participates in the Second Summit of Microfrancophonie in Vincennes France. The Golden bucket is modified this year to become a Garden party with dinner.
2019
April 14, 2019, the Prince reshuffles his Cabinet* (*so called the government), Duke Olivier de Constance leaves the office of Chancellor (Prime Minister) to become Chamberlain (Secretary of the Prince's Palace and Chief of Protocol). Duke Geoffrey de Mathes le Cailar is appointed Chancellor by the Prince. he had been the Prince's Secretary for Foreign Affairs since April 2017.
July 2019. A delegation is sent to the Microcon Summit in Hamilton (Canada). The Principality is one of the sponsors of the Microcon gala evening. A charity operation is launched for the renovation of the chapel of the Gray Penitents, the latter consists of fundraising by canvassing the main French patrons including the Stéphane Bern Foundation.
2020
The Principality has 435 citizens. All traditional events are canceled due to the COVID pandemic. The circulation of the flamingo is completely interrupted due to several confinements and other health measures that are paralyzing the city's economy.
In June 2020, an independent press-media group Micropotin took over the editorial staff of Aigues-Morning. Its French version changes its name to Le Principotin. The Aigues-Morning format is now dedicated to English-speaking readers. The editions of these newspapers are digital and never in paper format for reasons of environmental choice.
September 24, 2020, the Young Crown Prince Jean-Rosé announces his resignation to the throne. The Prince opens a period of reflection to find and propose a new heir or heiress to the throne.
2021
The Principality has 467 citizens. A new finance law (L-FI2021-1) is proposed and voted by the General Assembly of citizens on February 17, 2021. Citizens are now exempt from paying an annual fee and accept the modification of the association's statutes LOUPAM which finances the activities of the Principality. The new statutes provide for the use of an online store to generate income. the annual renewal of the registration of citizens in the Principality's civil status remains an obligation for citizens wishing to have the right to vote at the General Assembly.
on February 17, 2021, Chancellor Chancellor Geoffrey de Mathes le Cailar receives the vote of approval from the General Assembly for an additional term as head of the Prince's Cabinet (The Government).
2022
The situation is gradually returning to normal following the COVID pandemic. The Grand Bal Princier du Godet d'Or is rescheduled with the revitalization of the flamingo on the Firm's roadmap. The RTAM channel exceeds 1000 subscribers.
On June 28, 2022, in response to the revocation of the right to voluntary termination of pregnancy in the United States, the General Assembly of citizens enshrined in principal law a law imposing a duty to defend this right by the institutions representing the Principality.
On September 24, 2022, The Grand Bal Princier du Godet d'Or is making a comeback, a gastronomic banquet welcoming around sixty guests from Europe and North America. This is the occasion to celebrate the Tin Jubilee (10 years) of the Principality. An exhibition open to the public is presented throughout this festive weekend at the Prince's Palace.
2023
The Principality has 480 citizens.
On May 1, 2023, the principality of Aigues-Mortes resolves its conflict of several years with the federal republic of Lostisland. Prince Jean-Pierre IV meets President for Life Yaroslav Mar in Tel Aviv, Israel. It is the return of diplomatic and commercial relations with this micronation.
On July 1, Prince Jean-Pierre IV and his Chamberlain take part in the MicroCon 2023 Conference in Chicago. The Prince signs a treaty of diplomatic relations with the Republic of Slowjamastan, an emerging and increasingly publicized micronation in the United States.