| His Majesty Josef Mercton Josef I | |
| |
| In office September 28, 1981 – January 1, 1987 | |
| Succeeded by | Jack Bosco |
|---|---|
| In office December 25, 1986 – May 8, 2028 | |
| Succeeded by | Stephanie |
| Born | February 25, 1954 Kansas City, USA |
| Died | May 8, 2028 (aged 74) Endor Cuidad, J Andres |
| Political party | Nationalist |
| Royal House | House of Mercton |
| Spouse | Queen Ambrielle |
| Issue | Stephanie Richard |
| Alma mater | Northwestern University Farnum Military Academy |
| Religion | Catholic |
Josef Mercton, or Josef I, was the first King of J Andres and the first President of the nation as well. Josef Mercton was the first individual to hold each of the posts.
Early Life[]
For the entirety of Josef Mercton's life, and a century after his death, it was well accepted fact that Mercton was a military man who came up through the Rhode Island Colony militia before forming the nation of J Andres. In 2131, an audio documentary called "Shadow of Mercton"[1] was released which detailed the early years of his life up to the founding of the nation.
Josef Mercton was born on February 25, 1954 in Kansas City. He graduated high school in 1972, and began his first semester at Northwestern University; however, the collapse of most national governments occurred partway through his second semester. Classes were cancelled, and he returned to Kansas City with his roommate, Mickey Bethesda.
In Kansas City, as the nations and states collapsed, Mercton and Bethesda turned to crime. They had a successful business selling drugs until about 1979 when they ran afoul of the Kansas City mob, and they were forced to leave. They headed for Rhode Island.
In 1980, Rhode Island was an independent state run by a Governor, Leandro Ricci. Ricci was widely understood to be a puppet for the Patriarca crime family. Mercton joined the colonial militia, which had a Baracks in the location which would later become Fort Farnum. Using the network of the militia, he began selling and distributing drugs in the suburbs to the north and west of Providence.
Mercton became the commander of his barracks by the end of 1980, and began mixing his criminal enterprise with those who served under him. In 1981, the state government and the Patriarca's tried to squeeze him out. Identifying that the state government was weak, Mercton declared the territory near Fort Farnum its own nation, ceding itself from Rhode Island, and then led his militia to take over neighboring suburbs in what was known as the Initiation Wars.
President of J Andres[]
Josef Mercton formed the Commune and joined the North Atlantic Defense Coalition. The economy boomed in early 1982 and Mercton was called "The Bringer of Prosperity." In mid-1982, the commune selected Mercton to be the authoritarian leader of the Nation, he accepted. Although a dictator, the people of the country adored him, and could not picture a J Andres with anyone else at it's head. He was a champion for the people of his nation and kept their intrests in mind when making decisions for the nation.
Beginning of Democracy[]
When the nation switched to a democratic rule in early 1983, Mercton noticed that his grasp on power could be abolished. He worked hard on the campaign trail reminding citizens of what he had done for the country. "This country was nothing when I began, and look at us today," was his campaign slogan. He won the election in a landslide with 70% of the vote, and between his Commune votes and the Constituent Panel, he elected a Nationalist Party Member as Commune President.
Presidential Support[]
Josef Mercton's approval ratings have been a roller coaster during his carrer as President. They were high during the formation of the nation into 1982. The slowly started to drop during the October Massacre and the people began to favor Ben Richards especially during the War of the Monkeys. Then after the War, democracy was brought to the nation and people once again favored Mercton. His popularity slowly fell again until the Second Great War, when Mercton's position of neutrality saved J Andres from total destruction.
1987 Elections[]
During the 1987 elections, Josef Mercton lost for the first time, to Senator Jack Bosco of the Communist Party. Mercton then turned his attention to the Nationalist-Anchor Coalition Army that he had formed with Ben Richards and prepared to take back the nation.
King Josef I[]
Josef I on his coronation.
After the 1986 Red Revolt, both the Nationalist Party and the Anchor Party saw that their influence would be practically abolished if the Communists gained the majority in the March elections. Instead, they formed a coalition and installed a monarch to have partial power in the Commmune. Their choice was clear: Josef Mercton. Josef would be crowned King on December 25th, 1986 and he chose to keep his name.
Josef I continued to serve throughout the Third Maritime Republic, until his death, in 2028.
After his passing, Old-time friend, Benjamin Richards said the following, “the death of our beloved King, a wondrous figure who had played so much role in J Andres - indeed, one who made J Andres the way it is now - is a terrible blow to all of us. The passing of King Josef is something that we will never truly recover from, but also something that we must move on as to remember his legacy. Only through that can we truly show an example for not only for the J Andrean people and government, but also future generations to come.”
Marriage[]
King Josef and Queen Ambrielle on their wedding day
King Josef was married to Ambrielle Lanier on November 11, 1986[2]. Josef had expressed interest in growing the Royal Family and a significant amount of funds were being funneled into a JTech Project known as Genesis.
Ancestry[]
Patrilineality[]
Patrilineality, descent as reckoned from father to son, has historically been the principle determining membership in reigning families. By the paternal line, Josef belongs to the House of Mercton.
- Manuel Mercton of Porto Georgiaville
- Josef I, King of J Andres
Titles[]
- December 26, 1986 - May 8, 2028 - His Majesty By the Grace of God, The King Josef I, King of J Andres and its Empire, Conqueror of Nations, Father of the Maritime Republic
Notes[]
- ↑ Shadow of Mercton Finale to Air Tonight (2131, November 18) The Anchor Times
- ↑ Royal Marriage (1986, November 11) The Anchor Times
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||