Did you ever visit one of the smallest states in the world? The Principality of Sealand is a very original place.
Lost in the open North Sea, off England, Sealand is the smallest nation in the world (550 square meters of living space). The site, a former military platform, is the work of a stooge who, throughout his life, has fiercely defended the kingdom he had proclaimed and which he has left to his heirs today.
Lost in the open North Sea, off England, Sealand is the smallest nation in the world (550 square meters of living space). The site, a former military platform, is the work of a stooge who, throughout his life, has fiercely defended the kingdom he had proclaimed and which he has left to his heirs today.
Avez-vous envie déjà visiter un des plus petits états du monde ? La Principauté de Sealand est un lieu bien original.
Perdue en pleine mer du Nord, au large de l’Angleterre, se trouve la plus petite nation du monde (550 mètres carrés habitables). Le lieu, ancienne plateforme militaire, est l’œuvre d’un hurluberlu, qui toute sa vie durant, a défendu avec acharnement ce royaume qu’il avait auto-proclamé et qu’il a aujourd’hui laissé à ses héritiers.
Perdue en pleine mer du Nord, au large de l’Angleterre, se trouve la plus petite nation du monde (550 mètres carrés habitables). Le lieu, ancienne plateforme militaire, est l’œuvre d’un hurluberlu, qui toute sa vie durant, a défendu avec acharnement ce royaume qu’il avait auto-proclamé et qu’il a aujourd’hui laissé à ses héritiers.
In 1967, retired British Army major Roy Bates occupied the abandoned Rough's Tower, located 60 feet above the North Sea, northeast of London and opposite the mouth of the Orwell River and Felixstowe. He and his wife, Joan, discussed independence with British attorneys and subsequently declared independence for the Principality of Sealand on September 2, 1967 (Joan's birthday).
Bates called himself Prince Roy and named his wife Princess Joan and lived on Sealand with their two children, Michael and Penelope ("Penny"). The Bates' began issuing coins, passports, and stamps for their new country.
In support of the Principality of Sealand's sovereignty, Prince Roy fired warning shots at a buoy repair boat that came close to Sealand. The Prince was charged by the British government with unlawful possession and discharge of a firearm. The Essex court proclaimed that they didn't have jurisdiction over the tower and the British government chose to drop the case due to mockery by the media.
That case represents Sealand's entire claim to de facto international recognition as an independent country. (The United Kingdom demolished the only other nearby tower lest others get the idea to also strive for independence.)
In 2000, the Principality of Sealand came into the news because a company called HavenCo Ltd planned on operating a complex of Internet servers at Sealand, out of the reach of governmental control. HavenCo gave the Bates family $250,000 and stock to lease Rough's Tower with the option of purchasing Sealand in the future.
This transaction was especially satisfying to the Bates as the maintenance and support of Sealand has been quite expensive over the past 40 years.
Bates called himself Prince Roy and named his wife Princess Joan and lived on Sealand with their two children, Michael and Penelope ("Penny"). The Bates' began issuing coins, passports, and stamps for their new country.
In support of the Principality of Sealand's sovereignty, Prince Roy fired warning shots at a buoy repair boat that came close to Sealand. The Prince was charged by the British government with unlawful possession and discharge of a firearm. The Essex court proclaimed that they didn't have jurisdiction over the tower and the British government chose to drop the case due to mockery by the media.
That case represents Sealand's entire claim to de facto international recognition as an independent country. (The United Kingdom demolished the only other nearby tower lest others get the idea to also strive for independence.)
In 2000, the Principality of Sealand came into the news because a company called HavenCo Ltd planned on operating a complex of Internet servers at Sealand, out of the reach of governmental control. HavenCo gave the Bates family $250,000 and stock to lease Rough's Tower with the option of purchasing Sealand in the future.
This transaction was especially satisfying to the Bates as the maintenance and support of Sealand has been quite expensive over the past 40 years.
En 1967, le major de l'armée britannique à la retraite, Roy Bates, occupa la Rough's Tower, une rue abandonnée, située à 30 mètres au-dessus de la mer du Nord, au nord-est de Londres et en face de l'embouchure de la rivière Orwell et de Felixstowe. Lui et son épouse, Joan, ont discuté de l'indépendance avec des avocats britanniques et ont par la suite déclaré l'indépendance de la Principauté de Sealand le 2 septembre 1967 (anniversaire de Joan).
Bates s’appelait Prince Roy et son épouse, la princesse Joan, et vivait à Sealand avec leurs deux enfants, Michael et Penelope ("Penny"). Les Bates ont commencé à émettre des pièces de monnaie, des passeports et des timbres pour leur nouveau pays.
En soutien à la souveraineté de la Principauté de Séland, le Prince Roy a tiré des coups de semonce en guise d'avertissement sur un bateau de réparation de bouée qui s'approchait de Sealand. Le gouvernement britannique a accusé le Prince de possession et de décharge illicites d'armes à feu. Le tribunal d'Essex a proclamé qu'il n'avait pas compétence sur la tour et le gouvernement britannique a choisi de classer l'affaire à cause des moqueries des médias.
Cette affaire représente l'entière revendication de Sealand sur une reconnaissance internationale de facto en tant que pays indépendant. (Le Royaume-Uni a démoli la seule autre tour voisine, de peur que d'autres ne s'imaginent vouloir également rechercher l'indépendance.)
En 2000, la Principauté de Sealand a fait la une des journaux parce qu'une société appelée HavenCo Ltd envisageait d'exploiter un complexe de serveurs Internet à Sealand, hors de portée du contrôle gouvernemental. HavenCo a donné à la famille Bates 250 000 $ et des actions pour louer la Rough's Tower avec la possibilité d’acquérir Sealand à l’avenir.
Cette transaction a été particulièrement satisfaisante pour les Bates, car la maintenance et l'assistance de Sealand ont été assez coûteuses au cours des 40 dernières années.
Sealand n'est pas visible dans les principaux services de cartographie Web (c.-à-d. Bing ou Goggle), mais vous pouvez l'obtenir à l'aide d'une autre source telle que Maxar (DigitalGlobe).
Some WIP captures:
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