Today, we celebrate our fifteenth foundation anniversary. This is a truly remarkable achievement very few user-created regions have reached. Our founders would certainly be proud, if not bewildered, by both the depth of LKE’s culture, and the pervasiveness of LKE’s influence in NationStates. Our reaching fifteen years is a powerful testament to the tremendous success of our former and current members and the durability of our brand of Imperialism and our wider approach to gameplay politics.

I am particularly pleased to mark this milestone following our recent and important victory in Moldavia, which, for 11 years, was beyond de facto LKE control. Incorporated into the empire in 2006 following a successful invasion of Imperial Army commanded by then Prime Minister Onder Kelkia, eventual founder return would thwart effective LKE occupation, twice the last time being in October 2009. However, as Emperor Lucius was crowned as the monarch of Moldavia, the LKE subsequently persisted in maintaining the Imperial Crown's sovereignty over the region as a question of LKE law.

At the major update of October 17, 2020, the region was finally brought under the banner of the Golden Eagle following its re-founding. This followed a stealth mission of over a year's duration, which allowed a sleeper nation (controlled by Imperial Army Captain Rayregalia Von Arcadia-Sova) to build the influence needed to remove a native who was present in the region in 2011 and who was also involved in the Moldavian occupation of the Ilum, another LKE territory, in 2010-16 (Ilum would be re-secured by my illustrious predecessor in 2016). At the opportune time, Field Marshal Kelkia, Chief of the Imperial General Staff and Colonel General Valfor Talleyrand, Commander of the Field Army and Lieutenant General John Spencer-Talleyrand and Captain Ld Rayregalia Von Arcadia-Sova then executed a series of careful military maneuvers which ultimately led to Field Marshal Kelkia’s nation refounding Moldavia.

Contrary to what our enemies might claim, and we know too well their pathetic attempts to minimize every LKE victory as much as possible. Particularly as an excuse to their military incompetence, this victory is no trivial matter. It is certainly not a product of sheer accident, but of a conscious and deliberate effort to orchestrate its recapture and return to the LKE. This victory came about because of an unrelenting determination and commitment of the LKE to succeed. No matter the circumstances, no matter how long it took.
It is this trait which has defined our region all these many years, and which has allowed us and our leaders to build a great imperialist, monarchist and political region that continues to attract the fascination and admiration of the people from all corners of the globe.

Rayregalia Von Arcadia-Sova, the Baron of Paddington, is a man with that defining LKE trait. He knew that the region was illegally occupied by rebel elements. He saw an opportunity and he grabbed it. It is therefore proper that we pay tribute his role in Moldavia’s return. I am therefore pleased to elevate Lord Paddington within our regional peerage. He is created Earl of Paddington by virtue of Letters Patent Reply Letters Patent CCXXVII. Further, under Letters Patent CCXXVIII, the Earl of Paddington is hereby appointed as governor-general of Moldavia, the first one under permanent LKE control. He shall hold this commission alongside his colonial administration of The Land of Dragonia, earning him the distinction of becoming the first colonial administrator under my rule to govern two separate territories.

I am also pleased to award Colonel General Talleyrand and Lieutenant General Spencer-Talleyrand the Order of Empire (OM) for their invaluable contribution to the success of our mission in Moldavia and securing our colony from its rebel elements.

Field Marshal Kelkia and I are proud of these officers of our Imperial Army. Let us congratulate them, and the Emperor Emeritus, for this victory!

The expulsion of rebel elements from Moldavia and subjugation of the region under the banner of the Golden Eagle finally places all territories in the imperial style firmly under the Imperial Crown’s absolute control. We are now ready to usher in a new chapter in our colonial building history. To expedite the renaissance of the many possessions of the LKE Crown, I am announcing the creation of an imperial commission composed of all colonial administrators. This commission will be charged with completing a study of all colonial territories of the empire and submitting a report to the Emperor within thirty days from its constitution, which shall include policy and project recommendations to stimulate colonial development. This commission shall be chaired by Julio Von Arcadia-Sova, the Viscount of Haifa, who is also appointed the first Governor of the territory of Noria, as its celebrates its first accession anniversary into the empire. Lord Haifa’s appointment as Governor is effected under Letters Patent CCXXVIV.

This renewed attention to our colonies is part of a wider direction for the LKE to expand into areas which have traditionally played a supporting or minor role when compared to our long association with interregional politics and aggressive military operations. As the Emperor Emeritus so precisely commented in his lecture entitled, Imperialism: Past and Present, modern gameplay has evolved away from political, military and ideological conflict. The game has transformed significantly since the arrival of Discord. More and more communities now see themselves not as platforms for a political simulation, but as social networks to build and expand. While this is in no way meant to diminish the importance of a robust social setting for any regional community, it highlights the prevailing challenge the imperialist agenda faces in the modern setting.

If the imperialist agenda is to survive this dramatic shift, the LKE must double its efforts and embrace other aspects of the game that have now gained currency in the modern gameplay community. The LKE must build on its “soft power”, pursue cultural and social projects that while not traditionally integral elements of imperialism within the context of NationStates, have proven to be effective tools for imperialists to project power.

LKE’s brand of monarchism, is one such tool to influence and shape the governmental and cultural setting of other regions. While our monarchical culture and traditions have been shaped by earlier regions, such as the region of Great Britain and Ireland, its has taken its own shape and form and have influenced the establishment of formidable powers, such as The New Inquisition and Europeia, the latter now the leading Independent user-created region and a powerful cultural, military and political force in the game. Influencing other regions helps us generate affinity with one another, and generates greater respect among our peoples. To help other regions learn from our rich monarchist heritage, I have determined to implement the vision of Emperor Emeritus Onder Kelkia to create a monarchist organization to serve as a venue to exchange ideas, best practices as well as cooperative projects that will help both new and developed monarchist regions.

While there are fewer ideological conflicts in the military arena, our enemies continue to attack us in the arena of public opinion. A good number of media establishments today are managed and operated by defender moralists and their sympathizers. We must not let them fool and mislead the public any further. The LKE must work to liberate global audiences from the false narrative pedaled by them. I therefore strongly encourage the establishment of a LKE-led independent and competent news and/ media organization that challenge the false world view advocated by the defender moralist establishment. This medium can be used to train future thought-leaders of the LKE who can carry on the rich history of debate and rhetorical argumentation which has been enjoyed by the LKE, particularly in its earlier periods.

And while we are on the subject of grooming the next generation of LKE thought-leaders, the University of The Land of Kings and Emperors, coming fresh from a series of reforms, will be well placed to support our goals of enriching the level of political discourse in the gameplay community and producing competent graduates who will further strengthen the imperialist ideology. The University must also take an active role in furthering the LKE’s global network, by establishing partnerships with other similar institutions and co-organizing activities that promote the free exchange of peoples and ideas.

Of course, the promotion of LKE’s “soft power”, shall not be at the expense of the traditional tools we use to make our influence known and felt.

Foreign and military affairs will continue to be prioritized and will define our overarching regional objectives. Indeed, the Crown’s push for cultural dominance and prominence is but a complimentary means of effecting the imperialist agenda.

Immediately after this festivities, the Imperial Government will be tasked to undertake bilateral talks with our traditional partners to strengthen relations and explore new projects for collaboration. We will continue to work with our allies: Balder, Europeia, The West Pacific and the United Kingdom and our numerous non-treaty partners. And while we look to taking care of these important relationships, we shall work hard to grow our network of alliances. We are also fortunate to welcome new friends, again in the lead up to this historic milestone. Last September 23, 2020, we were pleased to sign the The Non-Aggression Pact between The Land of Kings and Emperors and The Confederated East Pacific. This framework ushers in a new chapter in LKE-TEP relations and is proof of the robustness of LKE’s foreign policy program, which remains very much active and engaged in interregional affairs.

As demonstrated by the success in Moldavia, and the growing list of new enemies who have declared their open aggression for us and the tenets we hold dear, it is imperative that the LKE continues to build its military capabilities. Substantial investments will be made in terms of recruitment and training, to increase the deployable force of the Imperial Army as well as ensure the professionalism of its men and women flying the banner of the Golden Eagle. The Imperial Authority for War is here instructed to prepare fresh plans for another LKE-led occupation, where I hope we can surpass our achievement in the Xedas campaign.

Fifteen years on, the Golden Eagle continues to fly high and wave proudly to the world. Our community, now spanning three forum boards worth a cumulative post of nearly 300,000 in total, has established a thriving discord server as well. Our institutions remain as lively and as relevant as ever before. Our Imperial Army continues to deliver victory after victory. Our cultural scene has been reinvigorated by a strengthened university and by creative roleplayers. Despite the pathetic attempts of our enemies to pin us down, we have beaten them at every turn, and even wrestling control of the narrative from them by sheer determination and persistence. We are both feared and revered. And people continue to flock our land, awestruck by our impressive history and record of victory, leading 800 nations in May 2020 to choose the LKE above the tens of thousands of regions in the game. This made us the largest Imperialist Region and largest User Created Monarchist Region, removing puppet storage and non-gameplayer regions.

Today, as we celebrate this monumental achievement of fifteen years, let us renew our pledge as inheritors of LKE’s great legacy. The continued success of the LKE will only be assured, if men and women embrace the fundamental values that have defined and shaped the LKE from its founding up to the present: Loyalty to the Crown, selflessness and enthusiasm to submit and offer oneself for the pursuit of the region’s ultimate glory and victory.

All hail Lucius the Glorious! All hail Lucius the Weary! All hail Onder the Conqueror!

TERRA REGUM IMPERATORUMQUE TOTUM MUNDUM REGET!