British Empire

The British Empire
The Union Jack
Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations
Leader:	Gildor_stinky
Founded:	January 2015
Structure:	Democratic Federation
Character:	Peaceful
Allies:	Commonwealth of Nations EE Thirteen Colonies

The British Empire (BE) is the largest player made empire in PirateCraft. Headed by Prime Minister Gildor_stinky, the empire dedicates itself to international stability.

To apply for membership, any interested parties should contact the British Empire's Minister for Recruitment, Lazydog11.

Ideals

The primary interest of the BE has always been the security of its citizens and colonies. Originally founded as a tight-knit defensive alliance of civil players, it swiftly grew into a global community within a matter of weeks.

A secondary goal of the BE is expansion. New territories are accepted into the empire with open arms so long as the residents are deemed trustworthy. Existing colonies are encouraged to develop infrastructure and recruit fresh citizens. Construction projects and promotion of commerce have kept the British population wealthy and productive.

Over the years the BE has proved itself an effective state and emerged unscathed from server-wide wars which ended up destroying many communities for good.

Politics

Despite the use of the term "empire", the British state is more accurately described as a direct democratic federation with an imperial theme. Democracy and freedom of speech have been entrenched in British values from the very beginning. Territory and riches are not gained through conquest, but through labour, cooperation and trade. Players who disobey the rules of PirateCraft and lack in common decency are not welcome in the empire.

Foreign crews of players are treated in the same manner as they treat the British Empire. Individuals who call themselves pirates may enjoy a neutral relationship with the British Empire - so long as they leave British settlements in peace. Those who evoke the wrath of the empire incur it in full force.

The British Empire was formerly a member of the alliance known as the League of Nations. It consisted of six nations dedicated to world peace and stability up until its collapse in the aftermath of the "BExit" vote of late September 2016. Currently the BE is nurturing a new, reformed alliance known as the Commonwealth of Nations.

Current Government

The BE government, late spring 2016

Charter

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Charter of the British Empire

Introduction

The British Empire serves as a democratic fellowship of sovereign territories ruled over by sovereign rulers. To be part of the British Empire is to be a shining beacon of order amidst the chaotic world of PirateCraft.

Article I - Organisation

• Citizens of the British Empire are entitled to the benefits of being part of a globe-spanning Empire. They may request assistance from their fellows towards founding their own colony or join one of the existing settlements which are open to new residents. The Empire extends its arm of protection to all those who are in the Empire. Every citizen may cast one vote in parliament regardless of strength and creed. Only one government position can be held by one individual player at a time.

• The Prime Minister is the citizen who heads the Empire and whose duty is to speak for the alliance, ratify treaties and sign declarations of war. The Prime Minister's vote shall be the deciding vote should a vote end up tied. He or she has the right to implement emergency decisions during the time a vote is taking place. These decisions may be overwritten by the result of the vote. The Prime Minister is elected newly every six months by the citizens through a majority vote.

• The Vice Prime Minister is the citizen who was paired with the Prime Minister during the elections. He or she shall speak for the Empire in absence of the Prime Minister and help mediate conflicts in his spare time. If the Prime Minister is absent for longer than a week, the Vice Prime Minister may automatically take over full Prime Ministerial duties until the Prime Minister returns. The Vice Prime Minister is superior to the Ministers.

• The Foreign Secretary is the citizen who heads the Commonwealth of Nations. He or she is responsible for preserving diplomatic ties with the Commonwealth nations and keeping the organisation in working order. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• The Home Secretary is responsible for leading the projects of the British Empire. He or she must actively work pursue their completion and mobilise players and resources. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• The Minister for Defence & Justice is responsible for the security of the colonies, organising war efforts and dealing out sentences in accordance to the law of the realm. He or she also organises efforts to bring criminals to justice. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• The Admiral is responsible for running the British navy. He works alongside the Minister for Defence & Justice, who is his or her superior, and the General, who is his or her peer. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• The Minister for Recruitment is responsible for hiring and training new recruits and ensuring their loyalty. He or she manages the recruitment camps, heads development projects and assists in assigning residents to towns. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• The Election Commissioner is responsible for ensuring the lawful conduct of free and fair elections as well as referendums. Additionally, the Election Commissioner must keep track of the progress reports and deadlines of the other government functions. He or she is selected either by majority vote or by general consensus and is sworn to confidentiality.

Citizens form the backbone of the Empire. They have the authority, by majority vote, to pass laws or motions, approve wars, to appoint members of government, to approve or expel citizens and, by a two-thirds majority vote, to amend the Charter.

New government positions may be added to the Charter by choice of the Prime Minister without the need of an amendment. They may only be removed or altered by a two-thirds majority vote as laid down in Article VI or by general consensus.

Article II - Membership

Applicants may join the British Empire at any time so long as they do note pose a severe security risk. In order to become an official citizen their membership must either be approved by a majority vote, by general consensus or by the Prime Minister. To become a Governor, a citizen must found their own settlement and be appointed by the Prime Minister.

A player who desires to leave the Empire may do so freely and without fear of reprisal provided that he or she posts a resignation on the forum or contacts the Prime Minister in-game, discharges his or her debts and cedes any government position he or she might hold.

A citizen may run for a government post if they fulfill the following requirements:

RESIDENCE – Uninterrupted residence in the empire, which amounts to not leaving the crew or joining a different one. Government sponsored activities outside of the British Empire offer an exception to this rule. The counter is reset every time a member leaves without qualifying for one of the exceptions described above.

CLEARANCE – No association with crews that have been hostile toward the British Empire in recent history for given time period.

• Prime Minister – 6 months of RESIDENCE & 6 months of CLEARANCE

• Vice Prime Minister – 4 months of RESIDENCE & 6 months of CLEARANCE

• Minister, Secretary of State or Chancellor – 1 month of RESIDENCE & 2 months of CLEARANCE

• Any other government position – 1 month CLEARANCE

Any citizens may propose a vote to expel a member or remove an incumbent government official. This must be posted in the appropriate PirateCraft forum group section by the Election Commissioner. Discussions shall last for at least 2 days before the vote is initiated. The vote shall last for 3 days and shall pass by a majority vote. Temporary banishment of the subject player may be immediately initiated by choice of the Prime Minister. If the vote fails, all actions against the subject player shall be reversed and seized property shall be returned forthwith. Alternatively, a player may be expelled from the Empire by general consensus.

Article III - Uniforms and Banners

Citizens of the Empire are encouraged to wear a redcoat uniform and fly the Union Jack. Individual tastes may be accommodated for.

Article IV - Raiding and War

Citizens of the Empire may engage any player whose crew has not signed a Non-Aggression Pact (NAP) or other non-aggression treaty with the British Empire. Crews which have signed such treaties with the BE are considered allies and may not be targeted for player versus player combat (PvP) without their consent unless in defence. Likewise, no citizen may engage another member of the Empire without their consent unless in defence. Individual players and groups of players who act physically aggressively, regardless of nationality, may be immediately targeted for retribution.

The penalty for breaking this article may be, among other things: Carrying out penance; paying reparations; being declared a rogue member; suffering uncompensated retribution; seizure of assets; expulsion from the Empire, by choice of the Prime Minister or Minister for Defence and Justice, a majority vote or general consensus. The decision of the majority vote overwrites the decision of the Prime Minister or Minister of Justice.

A declaration of war against requires the approval of a majority vote as well as the approval of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister may promptly declare war in states of emergencies, but a war vote must be initiated forthwith. If the vote does not pass, the war ends with immediate effect.

Article V - Justice

Disputes among citizens will be aired on the PirateCraft forum under the appropriate group section. The Prime Minister or Minister of Justice shall mediate the dispute in accordance with the laws and traditions of the Empire.

Foreign players claiming citizenship of the British Empire without authorisation will be treated as hostile and may, after 24 hours of fair warning, be subject to the articles of war or other action as decided by the Prime Minister, a majority vote or general consensus. The decision of the majority vote overwrites the decision of the Prime Minister.

Article VI - Laws & Amendments

The Election Commissioner is responsible for running all referendums in a fair, lawful and timely fashion.

Any citizen may propose an amendment to the charter which must be posted in the appropriate PirateCraft forum group section by the Election Commissioner. Discussions shall last for at least 2 days before the referendum is initiated. The referendum shall last for 3 days and will pass with a two-thirds majority vote.

Any citizen may propose a change to the laws of the realm which must be posted in the appropriate PirateCraft forum group section by the Election Commissioner. Discussions shall last for at least 2 days before the referendum is initiated. The referendum shall last for 3 days and will pass with a majority vote.

The result of a referendum on an amendment, law or motion is based on the total number of citizens who cast their vote, not the total number of citizens in the Empire.

A new law may neither conflict with any other law nor the with the charter.

A new amendment may not conflict with any other amendment and shall render any conflicting laws defunct.

Article VII - Elections

The Election Commissioner is responsible for running all elections in a fair, lawful and timely fashion.

The positions of Prime Minister and Vice Prime Minister shall be voted upon newly at least every six months after the last election under the appropriate PirateCraft forum group section. The candidates must always run in pairs. The election runs for 7 days, whereupon the pair with the most votes gains the seats.

All government duties and permissions shall be transferred onto the players with the most votes 14 days after the voting session ends at the very latest. The precise date may be individually agreed upon between the respective incumbent government official and the successor. A government position may my ceded at any time. If the Prime Minister cedes his or her position, they immediately spark an election. No player may be elected against their will.

The result of an election is based on the total number of citizens who cast their vote, not the total number of citizens in the Empire.

In the case of a draw, the election must be rerun if the candidates are not willing to make an arrangement with each other. If the election process if suspected of being corrupt, disproportional or infiltrated by outsiders, the electorate may, by majority vote or general consensus, decide to rerun the election. An election may be boycotted if over 2/3 of the participants hand in an empty ballot, which also results in the election being rerun.

No government position may be held by the same player for more than three terms in a row nor may multiple positions be held by a single player unless there are too few citizens in the Empire to fill all the government positions or unless no one but the player who previously held the position wishes to run for it.

Signatures:

Prime Minister - CrazyPirate

Vice Prime Minister - michty

Minster of Defence - Chailey

Minister of Recruitment - greengreen90

Minister of Justice - Bislo

Election Commissioner - PaulOnFire

Admiral - DirectorAnivian

Date:

01.05.2015

Amended:

04.06.2017

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The First Amendment - Lords

Article I - Introduction

Lords of the British Empire shall be citizens who are life members and advisers of the British government unless stripped of their title. They are permanent members of the British government group and may view participate in the discussions as if they were a appointed member of government. They have no control over any government functions, however.

Lords who take on a government roll do not relinquish their title of Lord and may remain in the government chat even after resigning from their post unless their title is revoked as laid out in article III.

Article II - Electing Lords

There are two ways of being elected as a Lord:

1. The first method is by a simple majority vote performed by the current government, including the current serving Lords, if any.

2. The second method is by a simple majority vote performed by the populace. If the majority vote is successful, the proposal is brought before the current PM and if he or she approves, the individual becomes a Lord.

The Election Commissioner may be contacted to perform these votes. If there is general consensus that an individual should become a Lord - that is to say, every party is satisfied that no vote needs to be held - the motion automatically counts as passed.

Article III - Dismissing Lords

If any two or more Ministers agree to dismiss a Lord in accordance with the PM, the Lord shall be stripped of his or her title. Government positions below Ministers cannot vote to dismiss a Lord.

Lords need to state their continued wish to retain their title of Lord after every held election. If a Lord does not, the PM can freely dismiss him or her one week after the election. After that period, Lords are no longer entitled to claiming their title.

Lords with an inactivity of over three months can be freely dismissed by the PM.

Article IV - Privileges of Lords

Lords may participate in government votes. Their votes count as equal to all other votes.

Date:

21.11.2015

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The Second Amendment - The Hierarchy Tree

This amendment is proposed, due to the growing need for structure within the Empire, both in the army and in the civilian classes. Furthermore a more structured base for expansion and administration of territory becomes ever so needed.

Section 1 – Revision of Government ranks

The following ranks shall be removed:

• Chief of Police
• Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Minister of Justice
• Minister of Defence

The Minister of Defence and Justice will be introduced and will take over the previous tasks of both Ministers of Justice and Defence.

Section 2 – Chain of Command/Hierarchy Structure

The Master Hierarchy is to become the new standard form from which every position springs from. Any disputes between the chain of command can be cleared with The Master Hierarchy.

The Master Hierarchy is split into three smaller trees: the higher class tree, the lower navy tree and the lower civil tree.

Citizens can only be promoted an army rank in the higher class tree if they have the highest rank in the lower navy tree. Citizens can only be promoted to one of the adjacent civil ranks in the higher class tree if they hold a civil rank.

All Government members including Lords may either grant titles or promote from both the lower navy tree and the lower civil tree.

Only the Minister of Defense and Justice and Admiral can promote people from the lower navy tree into the higher class tree.

The Minister of Recruitment, Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary can promote from the lower civil tree, into the higher class tree.

Section 3 – New titles

3.1 Governors

Ranks and requirements of settlements:

Village Governor (Governor I)

• Requirements: 1x farm, 3x houses, 1x notice board, 1x inn/shop/brewery/church/port/library/stable

Additionally 3x citizens, including the Governor, must actively live in the Settlement, rank Deckhand or above is acceptable.

Town Governor (Governor II)

• Requirements: 3x farms, 5 houses, 1x notice board, 1x square, 1x town hall, 1x fort, 2x inn/shop/brewery/church/port/library/stable

Additionally 4x citizens, including the Governor, must actively live in the Town, 1x Sailor or above, 2x Cadet or above, 1x Deckhand or above.

City Governor (Governor III)

• Requirements: 4x farms, 6x houses, 1x notice board, 2x squares, 1x city hall, 1x fort (must be seige-proof approved by a government member), 3x inn/shop/brewery/church/port/library/stable

Additionally 5x citizens, including the Governor, must actively live in the city, 2x Sailor or above, 2x Cadet or above, 1x Deckhand or above.

Revocation of ranks:

The title of Governor and the status of any settlement may be revoked if:

• Structures required for the settlement are left demolished or non-functional, without intention to better them.
• The citizen count falls two persons below the requirements. This means once a settlement status is granted, it will not lose the status if one citizen leaves, although the Governor must try to recruit a new citizen to reach desired requirements.

3.2 Mayor of London

The Mayor of London is voted upon within the government and the candidate is decided through a normal majority vote.

The tasks of the Mayor of London is to ensure the management of the capital runs smoothly. Some tasks include:

• Renting out shops in the city or hiring managers to do so.
• Building and repairing buildings or hiring managers to do so.
• Managing the storage room of London and making sure the government vault is safe.
• Coordinating with the army for the protection of London.
• Bringing news to notice boards around town. Alternatively reporting events in the BE forum group.

3.3 Ambassador

The ambassadors have close relations with foreign crews. They are involved in building and managing one or several embassies, updating relations with specific crews they have been assigned to and reporting to the Foreign Secretary.

Typical tasks are:

• Managing embassies within foreign crew(s).
• Interacting with foreign crew leaders and forwarding opinions of BE leaders in their absence.
• Easing tensions and aggression towards the BE within the foreign crew.
• Building better relations over time with crews they are assigned to manage.

3.4 Royal Architect

This position is for the builders of the server that the BE recognises for their great contributions to the server and the BE. This is a position that is awarded to give credit to the citizen and shows that the individual is appreciated within the BE. It grants more influence over the lower civil ranks.

Requirements: 1x greatly respected build on the server

3.5 Royal Merchant

This position is for the great merchants of the server, the ones who know how to earn a lot of wealth through trading. It shows the fellow citizens that this individual is someone to take note of and to follow when conducting business.

Requirements: Balance over 7500£, 1x shop in London, 1x frigate or higher docked in London

3.6 Lower Civil hierarchy

These titles are available for anyone within the empire to apply for. They do not have any requirements.

3.7 Lower Navy hierarchy

These titles are granted in line, meaning the lowest rank is required to progress. The Admiral or government members decide the requirements based on the individual's performance.

3.8 Commodore and Navy Captain

These titles are the elite soldiers of the empire and are only granted by either the Admiral or the Minister of Defense and Justice. Requirements are decided by individual performance.

Section 4 – Management of Territories

A territory is the land surrounding any given settlement, meaning a village, town, city or capitol. It is the task of the army along with the government to ensure borders are clear to foreigners and citizens of the BE. Borders are drawn based on terrain and other settlements in the area, meaning these have to be taken into account when creating a new territory.

A territory must be created upon creation of a new settlement. If the settlements status changes, the size of the territory must be discussed by the government.

• It is the task of the Navy to protect and patrol all settlements of the empire.
• If two territories are in close proximity, it is to be discussed whether to join the territories.
• If two territories are joined, they will become a state and the army must build one fort within the borders, even if the status of both settlements are villages.
• Patrols must be focused in states rather than territories, cities and towns rather than villages.
• If a settlement ceases to exist, the territory will be abandoned.

Section 5 – Permissions to the Government Group/Chat & Government Voting Rights

Ranks with government voting rights and access to the government group/chat:

• Prime Minister
• Vice Prime Minister
• Minister of Defense and Justice
• Minister of Recruitment
• Home Secretary
• Foreign Secretary
• Lords

Ranks only with government group access:

• Admiral
• Governor III
• Mayor of London

Date:

16.03.2017

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The Third Amendment - PvP Revision

This amendment serves to amend the following article of the original charter:

Article IV – Raiding and War

Citizens of the Empire may engage any player whose crew has not signed a Non-Aggression Pact (NAP) or other non-aggression treaty with the British Empire. Crews which have signed such treaties with the BE are considered allies and may not be targeted for player versus player combat (PvP) without their consent unless in defence. Likewise, no citizen may engage another member of the Empire without their consent unless in defence. Individual players and groups of players who act physically aggressively, regardless of nationality, may be immediately targeted for retribution.

The penalty for breaking this article may be, among other things: Carrying out penance; paying reparations; being declared a rogue member; suffering uncompensated retribution; seizure of assets; expulsion from the Empire, by choice of the Prime Minister or Minister for Defence and Justice, a majority vote or general consensus. The decision of the majority vote overwrites the decision of the Prime Minister or Minister of Justice.

A declaration of war against requires the approval of a majority vote as well as the approval of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister may promptly declare war in states of emergencies, but a war vote must be initiated forthwith. If the vote does not pass, the war ends with immediate effect.

Date:

04.06.2017

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The Charter of the British Empire serves as a basic set of principles that every citizen must adhere to. It was signed by the incumbent government officials at the beginning of May 2015.

Laws

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Laws of the British Empire

Laws concerning MEMBERSHIP

§1 Must only be associated with BE and no other empires. Special cases allow certain players to hold a dual passport.

§2 New recruits must be assigned to a Governor if they so wish. Government officials will help bring newcomers to colonies with room for new citizens.

§2.1 Governors must openly welcome citizens assigned to them by any government official. If the Governor is not in a position to take in new citizens, Government officials should provide aid in order to help the Governor become able to accept the citizens assigned to them.

Laws concerning PvP

§3 Must not engage in PvP with peaceful players. An engagement counts as entering combat mode or damaging a fellow player through any means.

§3.1 Must not engage in PvP with a fellow British citizen at any point in time unless there is consent of all parties involved or the engagement is inside an inclosed PvP- or arena-designated area.

§3.2 Must not engage in PvP with an ally of the Empire at any point in time unless there is consent of all parties involved or the engagement is inside an inclosed PvP- or arena-designated area.

§3.3 Must not engage in PvP with foreign players who are not in conflict with the Empire unless the Minister of War, Vice Prime Minister or Prime Minister has granted this.

§4 If an individual is a listed criminal in the “crew message of the day”, displayed when logging in, or displayed at local KOS boards, it is allowed to both steal from and raid the individual.

§5 If a player is attacked within a trade town with anti-PvP , the aggressor will be put on the BE’s KOS board if his intentions are proved to be malicious.

§6 If being attacked, self-defense is acceptable, but there must be no doubt about the aggressors intention to kill, harass or cause harm.

§7 Law enforcers of the British Empire must also follow citizen laws, though they have the right to employ force against citizens if necessary.

§7.1 Items taken from killed citizens must be stored in the confiscation chest, found in the police office. Officers must store ALL items taken from criminals and store it in an empty chest and put a sign on it, with a name of the criminal.

§8 Every citizen is obligated to place at least one secured chest in a safe, claimed area and fill it with war gear. War gear includes high-level diamond armour, high-level enchanted weapons, potions (strength II, invisibility, poison, etc.), gapples, buckets of milk, ender pearls, arrows and any other items the player regularly uses in PVP situations. Not permitted are non-diamond and low-level enchanted pieces of gear. War gear is only to be used in emergencies.

§9 If a citizen is assaulted and requests assistance, the online members of the British Empire must convene together at a safe location and analyse the situation as a group. The highest ranking online citizen chooses whether or not military intervention is a proportional and appropriate measure, if needed through a simple majority vote. If so, the online members are committed to don their war gear and defend their fellow citizen in need. Absence is permitted through public consensus or through permission of the war group leader.

Laws concerning GOVERNMENT POSITIONS

§10 Every week or two, all government positions must report what they have been up to and what progress has been made in an appropriately named government chat forum topic. They must also state clear aims and take on responsibility to assure their targets are fulfilled.

§11 No citizen may take on responsibilities that transcend their crew function.

PUNISHMENT system

Players accumulate points for committing offenses. These points stay with them forever and are not reset if they leave the British Empire. Gaining points results in consequences.

• (:1:) First Offence: Fine: 5 diamonds
• (:2:) Second Offence: Fine: 10 diamonds + Minister of Justice may propose demotion
• (:3:) Third Offence: Fine: 15 diamonds + Minister of Justice may propose demotion and/or expulsion
• (:4:) Fourth (+) Offence: Fine: 20 diamonds + crew discussion regarding the individual

All fines collected will be transferred into the possession of the Chancellor of the Exchequer and placed in the British Empire vault.

A player who is banished from the crew may only reapply for membership after three months. An appeal will be discussed by the government and may be turned down if they so are so inclined. The player then has to wait another three months before they can reapply again. Any banished player who is permitted back into the British Empire starts off with one punishment point.

Signed:

Bislo

Governor of Port Hope,

British Minister of Justice

Date:

01.07.2015

Revised:

06.02.2016

The laws of the British Empire are rules which must be complied with by all British citizens. Breaking a law may result in a punishment. The point of laws is not to catch players out - with a little bit of common sense a citizen should never be involved in criminal activities. Players who unintentionally break the law may be dealt with leniently under circumstances. Peacekeepers are expected to act sensibly and fairly when dealing with felonies.

Foreign Relations

Treaty	Terms	Participants	Date	Status
League of Nations [1]	Membership Agreement	BE & other Allied nations	24th June 2015 - 1st October 2016	Defunct
Raven Accords [2]	Declaration of Alliance	BE & Raven Pirates	30th June 2015	Defunct
Commonwealth of Nations [3]	Membership Agreement	BE & other Commonwealth Nations	1st February 2016	Active
Restoration of former alliance [4]	Declaration of Alliance	BE & Elven Empire	28th April 2016	Active
The Holy Ender Treaty [5]	Declaration of Alliance	BE & Ender	6th May 2016	Active
The Sun Never Sets - Again [6]	Declaration of Alliance	BE & Solis	6th May 2016	Defunct
A Treaty for the Elite [7]	Declaration of Alliance	BE & Elite	12th May 2016	Defunct
Declaration of Dependence [8]	Colonial State Agreement	BE(Suzerain) & Thirteen Colonies(Subject)	19th May 2016 - 22nd September 2016	Defunct

Current crews and nations affiliated the British Empire:

• Elven Empire
• Thirteen Colonies

Current crews and nations in conflict with the British Empire:

• n/a

History

Founding

Royal Dragoons riding into battle

British redcoats wearing the iconic British uniform

A British convention on 27.09.2015

The British Empire's pet punk

Lawzoneon's Build of the Month castle, Mariejois

Silverstone47 in his element

British and Elven shield bearers

CaptainCrackerz "taming" two guardians, both of which he named Jeffrey

Gildor_stinky testing out his new elytra at Delta Tower

The dissolution of the Queendom of Evermoor at the end of 2014 resulted in both a power vaccuum as well as many homeless players. The time was ripe for new great crews to emerge. Of all the upstarts, the British Empire was the most successful. Founded in January 2015 by CrazyPirate, its growth skyrocketed and within a couple of weeks the British Empire already counted 20 citizens.

Most of the newly acquired territories were focused around the North Sea, which quickly became the safest area for British citizens to reside. Expansion into other quadrants provided mixed results. Heavy pirate activity in the east led to many new British colonies being raided, which in turn resulted in frequent skirmishes between buccaneers and British redcoats. In particular a British retaliation raid on pirate-controlled Havanna led to much bloodshed, the battle was however ultimately lost and the British forces opted to abandon their struggling eastern colonies and instead claim new territories on the far western side of the world.

First Era of Turmoil

After a brief period of respite, petty conflicts expanded to previously peaceful colonies. For and foremost pirates Bensterpc and Pipsterpc utilised the opportunity to plague weak members of the Empire. At the same time, elections were taking place in order to determine the first government of the British Empire. The first round of voting was mired by rogue voters who weren't part of the British Empire as well as multiple ballots being cast per elector, so the position of Election Commissioner was bestowed upon PaulOnFire to manage the elections in a fair and transparent manner. The results were close but clear: CrazyPirate and Michty beat Chailey and Bislo1 to the posts of Prime Minister and Vice Prime Minister.

The first action of the new Prime Minister was to try and appease the boiling tensions between the raiding pirates, the returned former Queen of Evermoor, Reptaria, and the head of the TUPE alliance, Unic0rnjunk101. Peace deals were consistently breached, which led to bold British action against Bensterpc and Pipsterpc: Their southern fortress near to British controlled Port Royal was assaulted and damaged, their fleet set ablaze. Attacks were expanded to Havanna, which was damaged in multiple raids. The newly revived elves of Evermoor who had formerly announced their friendship to the British Empire now declared war, which resulted in the streets of Evermoor being blown up with cannons.

Shortly thereafter peace was agreed upon by all sides. The elves of Evermoor rebranded themselves as the Elven Empire of Lothlorien. The British forts surrounding Havanna remained claimed as a monument to the war and attacks on Port Hope by Unic0rnjunk101 ceased.

The Planning of London

The newfound peace led to an explosion of construction projects across the Empire, the biggest of which was the planning of the capital city of London. The city was to function as a semi-historical replica of 17th century London and would serve as the main centre of commerce, culture and recruitment in the British Empire. Each building would be custom designed by the Empire's architects.

An area was selected to house the capital city. Deforestation went quickly and a storehouse was erected to contain the building materials for London. The first wall of Buckingham Palace was built and The course of the river Thames was plotted and partly excavated with TNT.

This prosperous time was not to last. Two British government officials defected to the elves, sparking an internal crisis. The government took its time properly assessing the individual applicants for the empty government positions.

Conflicts during this time were mostly with the 0utlaws and their subject territory of Verussia. After a series of skirmishes, the British Empire managed to convince the Verussians to split themselves off from the 0utlaws' influence and go their own way. [9]

The Elven Ball

A brief distraction came in the form of the Elven Ball, a majestic celebration event organised by the elves. The British Empire received an special invitation - five of its members were welcome to attend. The Prime Minister and a few high-profile members were chosen to represent the British Empire.

The Elven Ball started out well, there was much dancing and many drinks to go around. Elven security guards were the only players allowed to carry weaponry at the event and were responsible for maintaining order.

Accounts vary as to what happened next. What is certain is that TUPE troops appeared out of nowhere and forced their way into the ballroom. The Elven guards were no match for them - chaos ensued. Some say the bartender took cover behind the counter, dodging arrows as they flew. Others say that Queen Reptaria managed to climb onto the chandelier to escape TUPE's blades. Many players met their death that day.

Second Era of Force

Once the new British government had been appointed, things began to ease a bit. An influx of new recruits brought the British Empire's all-time member count over 100.

The British Empire now found itself able to exercise influence on a global scale. The armed forces felt increasingly confident and boisterous in the aftermath of their previous victories and started intervening in foreign affairs more often. Several botched military operations tarnished the British Empire's image, however. One such operation was led on Verussian soil. Due to misinformation and bad assessment of the situation, British troops marched into North Verussia and sieged the storage compound in order to retrieve "stolen goods". The badly armed Verussians became increasingly unruly and every wrong move on their part was punished with an execution.

The operation became a big topic of discussion on the forums and led to an agreement between the elves and the British to supply the Verussians with reconstruction materials. It also led to an overhaul of the British military system. This did not stop unknown parties from mass-griefing the North Verussian island with TNT in an attempt to frame the British Empire, however.

Such acts of slander, which had been common during the previous large-scale wars against the British Empire began flaring up again and took much effort to lay bare. [10]

The War against the 0utlaws

In May 2015, the 0utlaws, TUPE and various other crews and individuals declared war on the British Empire. A combination of badly equipped, rowdy new recruits of the British Empire and difficulties collaborating efficiently led to many disastrous skirmishes. The difficulty of running such a big empire was painfully evident.

Many hours of brainstorming and careful planning helped improve British performance on the battlefield. Morale was low, yet the British refused to bow and bit by bit the tide began to turn. The elves joined the British forces in their defence against the 0utlaws and together they managed to ransack one of HardTimez' bases.

The war dragged on and neither side was willing to capitulate. The 0utlaws' pride would not let them make peace and the elves scornfully turned down an offer to let them retire from the conflict in return for a donation of significant amounts of cash and materials to the 0utlaws. [11]

In July 2015 an alliance was forged between the main empires of PirateCraft. The combined Elven, Verussian, Iborian, Ottoman and British forces - the "Allied" - began to score victory after victory against the 0utlaws, allowing daily life to return to normal.

On 30th July 2015, video evidence was obtained by Zindarak showing the 0utlaws and their allies harassing, spawn killing and allegedly hacking. HardTimez was permanently banned from the server and his crew members were issued a two-day temporary ban as a warning. Upon returning to the server, they chose to join the crew known as Red Lotus whose captain was the infamous long-time player KingKarim. The fighting continued for another week until KingKarim was, in turn, banned for harassment. The remnants of the crew split up. Some formed a smaller crew known as Black Flag, others allowed themselves to be assimilated into the Starks and the Elven Empire. The main perpetrators were not granted peace until they'd paid war reparations.

CrazyPirate resigned as Prime Minister in August 2015, leaving Michty as head of state during the election period. The elections were conducted in the same manner as in March. Two candidate duos emerged: Michty with DirectorAnivian as Vice Prime Minister versus Bislo1 with CaptainCrackerz as Vice Prime Minister. The victors were ultimately Michty and DirectorAnivian with their promise of bolstering the military and economy of the Empire in addition to reforming the British recruitment strategy. The new cabinet was appointed in the following weeks.

Third Era of Reform

The Allied nations dominated international politics as the primary world organisation during the months following the 0utlaws' collapse. A period of mutual prosperity and world peace set in, allowing the empires of PirateCraft to recuperate.

In October 2015, it was discovered that the Allied nation of Verussia had been plotting against its supposed allies. The rogue nation was ousted from the organisation in accordance with a unilateral vote, allowing the elves to declare war. Other allied members and foreign entities gave their support in the Allied invasion of Verussia which left the cities of the Verussian continent plundered and in ruins. While the war was dominated by the elven forces, the Verussians never truly surrendered nor accepted demands regarding the abdication of KingRS.

Other crews had been growing in influence in the meantime, especially raider organisations with a strong focus on military might. It soon became apparent that upstarts such as Delta and CoV were capable adversaries and had established themselves as notable world powers.

Hand in hand with this change came the stagnation of British military strength. By this time British towns were largely siegeproof, yet most citizens lacked the sheer volume of gear that hardcore PVPers had managed to amass through daily raids. Groups of powerfully equipped raiders were able to beleaguer British ports and disrupt trade. Unsurprisingly, harassment reports coming from British members increased significantly.

Large-scale British projects were making progress in the meantime, including the development of a British HQ (later known as Venice), the rejuvenation of British business ventures as well as security development and political undertakings. The First Amendment to the British charter was passed, allowing the appointment of Lords as honorary advisers to the government. This was soon followed by a complete overhaul of the British charter and the establishment of new government positions and duties. The laws of the realm were revised to reflect this reform.

To cull the number of new, inexperienced players joining the British Empire, the British Empire Training Crew was founded as a means of improving the quality of new recruits. The construction of a training vault was commenced and Lazydog11, the empire's Minister for Recruitment, became the leader of this new sub-crew.

In early January 2016, tensions with Verussia grew again in light of the ever-present ruler, KingRS, making comments the British government found derogatory. The redcoats joined forces with their allies in the Xenon Empire and Thirteen Colonies and besieged many Verussian towns in a series of attacks. The Verussian resistant was fleeting and the damage dealt on Verussian lands great.

The newly reformed Elven Empire unexpectedly made an offer to the Verussian citizens to merge into their empire, which caused much friction in the League of Nations, the renamed "Allied". The Verussians agreed to the proposal. This action ultimately put an end to the war, but caused a deep rift between the former close allies.

At the end of January 2016, tensions grew between the British Empire and the radical revolutionary Ashikagan crew lead by Ultracreeper. Ultracreeper had been campaigning for a revolt against donators for some weeks. He took up contact with _Lego_, the British Empire's new Chief of Police and revealed to him a plan to topple the British government by rigging the elections. _Lego_ reported this and the story soon made headlines in the Ashikagan embassy [12]. Ultracreeper renamed himself "the Kaiser" and defended his actions by announcing he wanted to establish a Colrainist government with revolutionary ideals. His explanation was widely condemned, especially as the BE was well-known as the only big democracy on the server.

The Kaiser interrupted a British war vote by declaring war on the British Empire on 31st January 2016 [13] The conflict was short-lived, as CrazyPirate1 managed to plunder Ulracreeper's valuables, including a beacon, during a scouting raid.

Elections were held from 17th until 24th March 2016. For the first time three candidate duos emerged - CaptainCrackerz (PM) and iKeto (VPM) vs. BGraph (PM) and Crazy Pirate (VPM) vs. Bislo (PM) and Lawzoneon (VPM). Despite the usage of media such as posters and YouTube videos by the competition, Bislo and Lawzoneon won the election race with their promise of kickstarting the construction of the capital city of London.

Soon after the election the decision was made to merge the British Empire Training Crew (BETC) back into the main crew. The reason was that that too many recruits found friends in the BETC and didn't want to "graduate" into the British Empire for fear of losing contact with their comrades through /crew chat. The British Empire had been suffering a period of stagnation due to this effect and was in desperate need of fresh blood. The leadership recognised that in the long term, the BETC would end up smothering the group it had been designed to protect - thus the BETC had to be disbanded. Its legacy lived on, however, as Lazydog11's town Gloomsbay had been massively expanded due to the influx of new recruits and boasted, among other things, housing for dozens of active players and a large PvP arena.

On 16th April 2015 PirateCraft moved over to 1.9. The British Empire was actively involved in the opening event and managed to procure rare items such as elytras and dragon heads. The upgrade also enabled the construction of paths on grass blocks using the right-click function of shovels. With the aim of ultimately creating a global road network, the empire got to work connecting its northernmost and southernmost territories with roads. Within but a few days, it was already possible to travel several thousand blocks along a smooth roadway from Venice all the way up north past the Thirteen Colonies and into Port Gletscher.

Other projects also sprang to life, such as the construction of a fully automated infinite free wheat farm near spawn for deckhands as well as the construction of the first buildings and houses in London besides Buckingham Palace and the Globe Theatre.

Fourth Era of Eminence

May 2016: In a stunning turn of events the balance of power in PirateCraft was changed forever.

The build up began during the previous months. This was the time when CoV was at the height of its power and attracting an ever larger member base. Many of the new recruits, decked out in God, felt bold enough to raid and pillage as they pleased. In contrast to the older, more experienced crusaders the fresh blood acted more reckless and less adept on the battlefield. This change did not go unnoticed. Unrest was growing as the previously sedate crews of PirateCraft began to stir from their palsy. A breeze was picking up which would soon become a storm.

The first strike was dealt by the Elves. CoV raids lead by players such as JoeBlub and Bentas were halted in their tracks as the Elves amassed a large enough force to drive them back and even slay them. This was a big surprise to many on the server, as usually CoV members encountered little to no resistance owing to their reputation. Reptaria announced that he would from then on be actively hunting down crusaders himself.

Behind the scenes treaties were being signed. Now that CoV could be hurt, it was time to drive the blade in deeper. Solis and EE were the first to bring the battle to the crusaders. The sheer number of God geared players, often over a dozen, in comparison to the two to three CoV members at a time, proved simply overwhelming. In battle after battle, CoV for the first time met with defeat.

These were not the only crews to get involved though. The British Empire, recognising the potential of this grand alliance against CoV, joined in the fray on 19th May 2016 and sought to bring in more of the smaller crews to the frontlines. Within days, the gears of war were turning as no less than seven crews were actively taking up arms and pursuing their previous belligerents. In addition, it became apparent that CoV's reputation was disintegrating at a rapid pace. No longer seen as untouchable, players recalled the frequent raids, the driving of long-term players such as Konstruktor away from server as well as their arrogant demeanour of the past and used this this opportunity to shatter the crusader's hegemony for once and for all.

Within a week, a large number players of CoV had departed, leaving only the core crusaders behind. Many small groups such as Khaos emerged from the Exodus, but were much weaker than the old CoV. CoV itself didn't disband and remained a competent crew, but the wind had gone from its sails. Victory belonged to the entente who rose up against them.

The result of this unexpected upheaval was a change in the balance of power. Solis, EE and BE were suddenly seen as the new powerhouses of the server and many wondered if they would stick to their peaceful ideals or attempt to fill CoV's shoes as warlords. While the latter scenario did not immediately come into effect, it did not put an end to war either.

The first challenge faced by the BE was the reemergence of USE, who were in conflict with Thirteen Colonies over a name dispute. Verbal assaults were launched but no blood was shed.

Then out of the ruins emerged the resurrection of an old nemesis lead by Mandarin_Panda: Outlaws. While the fledgling crew was in itself no threat, the entente was aware that it would try to use its reputation to its advantage and attract capable PvPers. Sure enough, Outlaws declared its intention to become a powerful PvP crew in its own right. This announcement was met with declarations of war by the LoN.

The Heart Pirates ambushed and killed one British citizen which lead to a huge counter offensive at their base. Almost twenty British troops heeded the call to action, set up cannons and pounded their base with cannon fire.

British redcoats were once again active, prowling the seas and dispensing "justice". This was met with mixed feelings within the government: Some wanted the BE to remain neutral and retaliatory as hitherto. Others demanded the crew take action, especially against scum of the server such as hackers. In particular the Juice Pirates were proven to contain a number of Italian hackers which British forces used as a casus belli to launch an assault - without a war vote. British PM Bislo demanded that the British should cease their offensive immediately in accordance with the charter or face consequences. In the midst of the turmoil screenshots from the Juice Pirates crew chat were revealed, some of which's contents seemed to infer that acceptance of hackers was commonplace in the crew and that a number of crew members - including the leader - were aware of perpetrators but not reporting them to the mods. This lead to a forum report by British members with tempers soaring and appropriate political fallout. After some weeks the situation deescalated. Apple crew members were no longer involved in reports and the two crews even started to work together.

BExit

On the 16th August 2016, the Templars, a close ally of the BE, unexpectedly declared war on their fellows. [14] The Templars' official casus belli was to avenge perceived transgressions by BE members and to promote a "fun war" on the server, as the summer had so far provided no new conflicts to partake in. This post ignited a furious wave of British indignation. Government officials and citizens alike proceeded to debunk many of the accusations as fabrications serving to justify the act of backstabbing.

BE turned to its allies in LoN for assistance in its defensive war against the Templars. However, like the BE, many members of LoN had close connections and friends within the Templar ranks. Only the EE and 13C answered the BE's call to war. This perceived act of treachery by LoN drove a wedge into the relationship between the BE and neutral LoN crews. This even led to players from within the empire demanding a British departure from LoN so as to seek true allies elsewhere.

The war against Templars proved short-lived as combined EE, 13C and BE forces held their ground. Internal conflicts within Templar ultimately led to the crew's dissolution and a continuation of world peace. Political changes were abound. 13C was permitted to depart from the BE and continue its existence as an independent but affiliated crew. Tensions continued to intensify within the grand alliance of LoN. A mere couple of weeks had passed since the war with Templar when anti-LoN sentiment met its climax: The "BExit" referendum. After a lengthy debate, the leave campaign prevailed with over three quarters of voters in favour of secession. Thus in late September 2016 the BE officially left the fourteen month old alliance for good. This caused a snowball effect within LoN: EE and 13C also announced their immediate departure whilst the small crews of LR, XE and IE ended up disbanding. The latter three crews would thereupon merge to form a greater, stronger entity know as the Xanthian Order (TXO). LoN ceased to exist.

Revival of Relations

At the end of 2016, the British made attempts to rejuvenate the broken relations with former allies. The Commonwealth of Nations (CoN), and old British experimental group, was repurposed as an international alliance group with clearer guidelines on voting and defence. The old LoN crews rejoined, including the newly reformed, peaceful Templars. After a first round of elections, PaulOnFire won the majority vote for Secretary-General against Maximus_Terragon, Chailey and NickyB_123. He appointed NickyB_123 as his vice and set out to achieve his election pledges of expanding CoN and founding a new central base of operations for CoN, the Freeport.

Progress was made relatively swiftly, yet maintaining stability in CoN was a constant challenge. Templars disbanded in early 2017 following a recruitment crisis. TXO later announced its intention of leaving CoN in light of facing many domestic challenges. The Elven leader, Reptaria, left the server for a brief period of time following a huge raid on the majestic new fortress of Gondolin. Candidate applications from the Ebonheart Empire, the Dark Empire and Rome were turned down due to size and activity concerns. The Witherbeard Clan was granted membership on 27th February 2017. By April 2017, CoN had however slipped into inactivity.

On 17th May 2017, Gildor_stinky and Taulov were elected as Prime Minister and Vice Prime Minister of the British Empire, gaining more votes than opponents Turkeyman11a and Deathtoll_. Construction projects around the Empire had been making great progress, especially in London, yet over time the British Empire had lost many talented PvPers due to a lack of military conflicts. A vote was launched on 1st June 2017 to determine the future of BE's PvP laws. The results will be in on 4th June 2017.

Settlements and Forts of the British Empire

Atlas of the British Empire - 29.04.2016

Province of Canada:

• Venice
• Canada
• Whiskey Peak
• Fort Fang

• Port Gletscher
• Vendigroth

Northern Territories:

• Gloomsbay
• Port Panem
• Port Vernesse
• Terra Celestia

Territories on the old continent:

• London
• Hamsfield Court
• Mariejois

South Seas:

• Port Royal
• Isle of Zeal
• Ionith
• Port Alexandria
• Port Hope

Southern Territories:

• Jamaica
• Delta Tower
• Chorley

Previous British Governments

Expand

Charts of Previous Governments

The BE government, spring 2015

The BE government, summer 2015

The BE government, autumn 2015

The BE government, winter 2015

The BE government, spring 2016

The BE government, early summer 2016

The BE government, late summer 2016

The BE government, early autumn 2016

The BE government, late autumn 2016

Former Settlements and Forts of the British Empire

Expand

List of Former Settlements

• Bridgetown (seceded)
• Corfadia (disbanded)
• Fort Crater (inactive)
• Fort Havanna (inactive)
• Fort Hetzer (destroyed)
• Fort Noble (Governor banned)
• Fort Wolf (inactive)
• Goldton (inactive)
• Karjat (inactive)
• New Clankton (inactive)
• Newfoundland (inactive)
• New Zealand (inactive)
• Port Blue (inactive)
• Port Laconia (Governor banned)
• Port Oribi (Governor banned)
• Seastone (inactive)
• Singapore (seceded)
• Virgin Islands (seceded)
• Westeros (inactive)
• Winterfell (inactive)

Old Documents and Images

Expand

Charter of the British Empire (Prior to 16th March 2017)

Introduction

The British Empire serves as a democratic fellowship of sovereign territories ruled over by sovereign rulers. To be part of the British Empire is to be a shining beacon of order amidst the chaotic world of PirateCraft.

Article I - Organisation

• Citizens of the British Empire are entitled to the benefits of being part of a globe-spanning Empire. They may request assistance from their fellows towards founding their own colony or join one of the existing settlements which are open to new residents. The Empire extends its arm of protection to all those who are in the Empire. Every citizen may cast one vote in parliament regardless of strength and creed. Only one government position can be held by one individual player at a time.

• The Prime Minister is the citizen who heads the Empire and whose duty is to speak for the alliance, ratify treaties and sign declarations of war. The Prime Minister's vote shall be the deciding vote should a vote end up tied. He or she has the right to implement emergency decisions during the time a vote is taking place. These decisions may be overwritten by the result of the vote. The Prime Minister is elected newly every six months by the citizens through a majority vote.

• The Vice Prime Minister is the citizen who was paired with the Prime Minister during the elections. He or she shall speak for the Empire in absence of the Prime Minister and help mediate conflicts in his spare time. If the Prime Minister is absent for longer than a week, the Vice Prime Minister may automatically take over full Prime Ministerial duties until the Prime Minister returns. The Vice Prime Minister is superior to the Ministers.

• The Foreign Secretary is the citizen who heads the Commonwealth of Nations. He or she is responsible for preserving diplomatic ties with the Commonwealth nations and keeping the organisation in working order. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• The Home Secretary is responsible for leading the projects of the British Empire. He or she must actively work pursue their completion and mobilise players and resources. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• The Chancellor of the Exchequer is responsible for leading the British Empire’s commercial affairs. He or she must maintain a secure vault and manage the crew’s balance while encouraging and securing the commercial development and interests of the empire. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• The Minister for Defence is responsible for the security of the colonies and for organising war efforts. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• The Admiral is responsible for running the British navy. He works alongside the Minister for Defence, who is his or her superior, and the General, who is his or her peer. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• The General is responsible for running the British armed forces. He works alongside the Minister of Defence, who is his or her superior, and the Admiral, who is his or her peer. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• The Minister for Recruitment is responsible for hiring and training new recruits and ensuring their loyalty. He or she manages the recruitment camps, heads development projects and assists in assigning residents to towns. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• The Minister for Justice is responsible for dealing out sentences in accordance to the law of the realm. He or she also organises efforts to bring criminals to justice. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• The Chief of Police is responsible for organising the British Empire's police force. He is the chosen by the Minister of Justice and is also his subordinate.

• Police Officers are responsible for keeping order in the Empire. They may use force against proven criminals and confiscate their items if necessary. As enforcers of the law, they must strictly adhere to police guidelines.

• The Election Commissioner is responsible for ensuring the lawful conduct of free and fair elections as well as referendums. Additionally, the Election Commissioner must keep track of the progress reports and deadlines of the other government functions. He or she is selected either by majority vote or by general consensus and is sworn to confidentiality.

• The Media Commissioner is responsible for producing and promoting British media. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• Applicants are members of the British Empire who do not yet enjoy the same bandwidth of rights as full citizens do. They may not vote on political matters but are entitled to protection and may request assistance.

Citizens form the backbone of the Empire. They have the authority, by majority vote, to pass laws or motions, approve wars, to appoint members of government, to approve or expel citizens and, by a two-thirds majority vote, to amend the Charter.

New government positions may be added to the Charter by choice of the Prime Minister without the need of an amendment. They may only be removed or altered by a two-thirds majority vote as laid down in Article VI or by general consensus.

Article II - Membership

Candidate members start out as applicants. To become a citizen their membership must either be approved by a majority vote, general consensus or by the Prime Minister. To become a Governor, a citizen must found their own settlement and be appointed by the Prime Minister.

A player who desires to leave the Empire may do so freely and without fear of reprisal provided that he or she posts a resignation on the forum or contacts the Prime Minister in-game, discharges his or her debts and cedes any government position he or she might hold.

A citizen may run for a government post if they fulfill the following requirements:

RESIDENCE – Uninterrupted residence in the empire, which amounts to not leaving the crew or joining a different one. Government sponsored activities outside of the British Empire offer an exception to this rule. The counter is reset every time a member leaves without qualifying for one of the exceptions described above.

CLEARANCE – No association with crews that have been hostile toward the British Empire in recent history for given time period.

• Prime Minister – 6 months of RESIDENCE & 6 months of CLEARANCE

• Vice Prime Minister – 4 months of RESIDENCE & 6 months of CLEARANCE

• Minister, Secretary of State or Chancellor – 1 month of RESIDENCE & 2 months of CLEARANCE

• Any other government position – 1 month CLEARANCE

Any citizens may propose a vote to expel a member or remove an incumbent government official. This must be posted in the appropriate PirateCraft forum group section by the Election Commissioner. Discussions shall last for at least 2 days before the vote is initiated. The vote shall last for 3 days and shall pass by a majority vote. Temporary banishment of the subject player may be immediately initiated by choice of the Prime Minister. If the vote fails, all actions against the subject player shall be reversed and seized property shall be returned forthwith. Alternatively, a player may be expelled from the Empire by general consensus.

Article III - Uniforms and Banners

Citizens of the Empire are encouraged to wear a redcoat uniform and fly the Union Jack. Individual tastes may be accommodated for.

Article IV - Raiding and War

Members of the Empire may not engage another player, group of players or nation without the consent of a majority vote unless in defence of themselves or another citizen. Individual players and groups of players who act physically aggressively, regardless of nationality, may be immediately targeted for retribution. No citizen may engage another member of the Empire without their consent unless in self-defence.

The penalty for breaking this article may be, among other things: Carrying out penance; paying reparations; being declared a rogue member; suffering uncompensated retribution; seizure of assets; expulsion from the Empire, by choice of the Prime Minister or Minister of Justice, a majority vote or general consensus. The decision of the majority vote overwrites the decision of the Prime Minister or Minister of Justice.

A declaration of war requires the approval of a majority vote as well as the approval of the Prime Minister.

Article V - Justice

Disputes among citizens will be aired on the PirateCraft forum under the appropriate group section. The Prime Minister or Minister of Justice shall mediate the dispute in accordance with the laws and traditions of the Empire.

Foreign players claiming citizenship of the British Empire without authorisation will be treated as hostile and may, after 24 hours of fair warning, be subject to the articles of war or other action as decided by the Prime Minister, a majority vote or general consensus. The decision of the majority vote overwrites the decision of the Prime Minister.

Article VI - Laws & Amendments

The Election Commissioner is responsible for running all referendums in a fair, lawful and timely fashion.

Any citizen may propose an amendment to the charter which must be posted in the appropriate PirateCraft forum group section by the Election Commissioner. Discussions shall last for at least 2 days before the referendum is initiated. The referendum shall last for 3 days and will pass with a two-thirds majority vote.

Any citizen may propose a change to the laws of the realm which must be posted in the appropriate PirateCraft forum group section by the Election Commissioner. Discussions shall last for at least 2 days before the referendum is initiated. The referendum shall last for 3 days and will pass with a majority vote.

The result of a referendum on an amendment, law or motion is based on the total number of citizens who cast their vote, not the total number of citizens in the Empire.

A new law may neither conflict with any other law nor the with the charter.

A new amendment may not conflict with any other amendment and shall render any conflicting laws defunct.

Article VII - Elections

The Election Commissioner is responsible for running all elections in a fair, lawful and timely fashion.

The positions of Prime Minister and Vice Prime Minister shall be voted upon newly at least every six months after the last election under the appropriate PirateCraft forum group section. The candidates must always run in pairs. The election runs for 7 days, whereupon the pair with the most votes gains the seats.

All government duties and permissions shall be transferred onto the players with the most votes 14 days after the voting session ends at the very latest. The precise date may be individually agreed upon between the respective incumbent government official and the successor. A government position may my ceded at any time. If the Prime Minister cedes his or her position, they immediately spark an election. No player may be elected against their will.

The result of an election is based on the total number of citizens who cast their vote, not the total number of citizens in the Empire.

In the case of a draw, the election must be rerun if the candidates are not willing to make an arrangement with each other. If the election process if suspected of being corrupt, disproportional or infiltrated by outsiders, the electorate may, by majority vote or general consensus, decide to rerun the election. An election may be boycotted if over 2/3 of the participants hand in an empty ballot, which also results in the election being rerun.

No government position may be held by the same player for more than three terms in a row nor may multiple positions be held by a single player unless there are too few citizens in the Empire to fill all the government positions or unless no one but the player who previously held the position wishes to run for it.

Signatures:

Prime Minister - CrazyPirate

Vice Prime Minister - michty

Minster of Defence - Chailey

Minister of Recruitment - greengreen90

Minister of Justice - Bislo

Election Commissioner - PaulOnFire

Admiral - DirectorAnivian

Date:

01.05.2015

Amended:

25.01.2016

Expand

Charter of the British Empire (Prior to 4th June 2017)

Introduction

The British Empire serves as a democratic fellowship of sovereign territories ruled over by sovereign rulers. To be part of the British Empire is to be a shining beacon of order amidst the chaotic world of PirateCraft.

Article I - Organisation

• Citizens of the British Empire are entitled to the benefits of being part of a globe-spanning Empire. They may request assistance from their fellows towards founding their own colony or join one of the existing settlements which are open to new residents. The Empire extends its arm of protection to all those who are in the Empire. Every citizen may cast one vote in parliament regardless of strength and creed. Only one government position can be held by one individual player at a time.

• The Prime Minister is the citizen who heads the Empire and whose duty is to speak for the alliance, ratify treaties and sign declarations of war. The Prime Minister's vote shall be the deciding vote should a vote end up tied. He or she has the right to implement emergency decisions during the time a vote is taking place. These decisions may be overwritten by the result of the vote. The Prime Minister is elected newly every six months by the citizens through a majority vote.

• The Vice Prime Minister is the citizen who was paired with the Prime Minister during the elections. He or she shall speak for the Empire in absence of the Prime Minister and help mediate conflicts in his spare time. If the Prime Minister is absent for longer than a week, the Vice Prime Minister may automatically take over full Prime Ministerial duties until the Prime Minister returns. The Vice Prime Minister is superior to the Ministers.

• The Foreign Secretary is the citizen who heads the Commonwealth of Nations. He or she is responsible for preserving diplomatic ties with the Commonwealth nations and keeping the organisation in working order. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• The Home Secretary is responsible for leading the projects of the British Empire. He or she must actively work pursue their completion and mobilise players and resources. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• The Minister for Defence & Justice is responsible for the security of the colonies, organising war efforts and dealing out sentences in accordance to the law of the realm. He or she also organises efforts to bring criminals to justice. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• The Admiral is responsible for running the British navy. He works alongside the Minister for Defence & Justice, who is his or her superior, and the General, who is his or her peer. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• The Minister for Recruitment is responsible for hiring and training new recruits and ensuring their loyalty. He or she manages the recruitment camps, heads development projects and assists in assigning residents to towns. The post is appointed by the Prime Minister.

• The Election Commissioner is responsible for ensuring the lawful conduct of free and fair elections as well as referendums. Additionally, the Election Commissioner must keep track of the progress reports and deadlines of the other government functions. He or she is selected either by majority vote or by general consensus and is sworn to confidentiality.

Citizens form the backbone of the Empire. They have the authority, by majority vote, to pass laws or motions, approve wars, to appoint members of government, to approve or expel citizens and, by a two-thirds majority vote, to amend the Charter.

New government positions may be added to the Charter by choice of the Prime Minister without the need of an amendment. They may only be removed or altered by a two-thirds majority vote as laid down in Article VI or by general consensus.

Article II - Membership

Applicants may join the British Empire at any time so long as they do note pose a severe security risk. In order to become an official citizen their membership must either be approved by a majority vote, by general consensus or by the Prime Minister. To become a Governor, a citizen must found their own settlement and be appointed by the Prime Minister.

A player who desires to leave the Empire may do so freely and without fear of reprisal provided that he or she posts a resignation on the forum or contacts the Prime Minister in-game, discharges his or her debts and cedes any government position he or she might hold.

A citizen may run for a government post if they fulfill the following requirements:

RESIDENCE – Uninterrupted residence in the empire, which amounts to not leaving the crew or joining a different one. Government sponsored activities outside of the British Empire offer an exception to this rule. The counter is reset every time a member leaves without qualifying for one of the exceptions described above.

CLEARANCE – No association with crews that have been hostile toward the British Empire in recent history for given time period.

• Prime Minister – 6 months of RESIDENCE & 6 months of CLEARANCE

• Vice Prime Minister – 4 months of RESIDENCE & 6 months of CLEARANCE

• Minister, Secretary of State or Chancellor – 1 month of RESIDENCE & 2 months of CLEARANCE

• Any other government position – 1 month CLEARANCE

Any citizens may propose a vote to expel a member or remove an incumbent government official. This must be posted in the appropriate PirateCraft forum group section by the Election Commissioner. Discussions shall last for at least 2 days before the vote is initiated. The vote shall last for 3 days and shall pass by a majority vote. Temporary banishment of the subject player may be immediately initiated by choice of the Prime Minister. If the vote fails, all actions against the subject player shall be reversed and seized property shall be returned forthwith. Alternatively, a player may be expelled from the Empire by general consensus.

Article III - Uniforms and Banners

Citizens of the Empire are encouraged to wear a redcoat uniform and fly the Union Jack. Individual tastes may be accommodated for.

Article IV - Raiding and War

Members of the Empire may not engage another player, group of players or nation without the consent of a majority vote unless in defence of themselves or another citizen. Individual players and groups of players who act physically aggressively, regardless of nationality, may be immediately targeted for retribution. No citizen may engage another member of the Empire without their consent unless in self-defence.

The penalty for breaking this article may be, among other things: Carrying out penance; paying reparations; being declared a rogue member; suffering uncompensated retribution; seizure of assets; expulsion from the Empire, by choice of the Prime Minister or Minister of Justice, a majority vote or general consensus. The decision of the majority vote overwrites the decision of the Prime Minister or Minister of Justice.

A declaration of war requires the approval of a majority vote as well as the approval of the Prime Minister.

Article V - Justice

Disputes among citizens will be aired on the PirateCraft forum under the appropriate group section. The Prime Minister or Minister of Justice shall mediate the dispute in accordance with the laws and traditions of the Empire.

Foreign players claiming citizenship of the British Empire without authorisation will be treated as hostile and may, after 24 hours of fair warning, be subject to the articles of war or other action as decided by the Prime Minister, a majority vote or general consensus. The decision of the majority vote overwrites the decision of the Prime Minister.

Article VI - Laws & Amendments

The Election Commissioner is responsible for running all referendums in a fair, lawful and timely fashion.

Any citizen may propose an amendment to the charter which must be posted in the appropriate PirateCraft forum group section by the Election Commissioner. Discussions shall last for at least 2 days before the referendum is initiated. The referendum shall last for 3 days and will pass with a two-thirds majority vote.

Any citizen may propose a change to the laws of the realm which must be posted in the appropriate PirateCraft forum group section by the Election Commissioner. Discussions shall last for at least 2 days before the referendum is initiated. The referendum shall last for 3 days and will pass with a majority vote.

The result of a referendum on an amendment, law or motion is based on the total number of citizens who cast their vote, not the total number of citizens in the Empire.

A new law may neither conflict with any other law nor the with the charter.

A new amendment may not conflict with any other amendment and shall render any conflicting laws defunct.

Article VII - Elections

The Election Commissioner is responsible for running all elections in a fair, lawful and timely fashion.

The positions of Prime Minister and Vice Prime Minister shall be voted upon newly at least every six months after the last election under the appropriate PirateCraft forum group section. The candidates must always run in pairs. The election runs for 7 days, whereupon the pair with the most votes gains the seats.

All government duties and permissions shall be transferred onto the players with the most votes 14 days after the voting session ends at the very latest. The precise date may be individually agreed upon between the respective incumbent government official and the successor. A government position may my ceded at any time. If the Prime Minister cedes his or her position, they immediately spark an election. No player may be elected against their will.

The result of an election is based on the total number of citizens who cast their vote, not the total number of citizens in the Empire.

In the case of a draw, the election must be rerun if the candidates are not willing to make an arrangement with each other. If the election process if suspected of being corrupt, disproportional or infiltrated by outsiders, the electorate may, by majority vote or general consensus, decide to rerun the election. An election may be boycotted if over 2/3 of the participants hand in an empty ballot, which also results in the election being rerun.

No government position may be held by the same player for more than three terms in a row nor may multiple positions be held by a single player unless there are too few citizens in the Empire to fill all the government positions or unless no one but the player who previously held the position wishes to run for it.

Signatures:

Prime Minister - CrazyPirate

Vice Prime Minister - michty

Minster of Defence - Chailey

Minister of Recruitment - greengreen90

Minister of Justice - Bislo

Election Commissioner - PaulOnFire

Admiral - DirectorAnivian

Date:

01.05.2015

Amended:

16.03.2017

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Outdated Images

Map of the first colonies of the British Empire

Map of the provinces of the British Empire at the end of April 2015 (click to view in higher resolution)

Atlas of the British Empire - 11.08.2015

Outdated Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations