Micronations:
Grand Duchy of Westarctica
|
|
Home
About the
USNS
Join the USNS
Members
Message Board
Reference Library
Coin
Library Index
Westarctica
Marketing
Links
Contact
| 2005 | ||
|
USNS-WES-C
001
Duchy
of Westarctica |
Denomination |
Byrd Expedition Anniversary |
|
USNS-WES-C
002
Duchy
of Westarctica |
 Denomination |
 Constitutional Anniversary |
|
USNS-WES-C
003
Duchy
of Westarctica |
 Denomination |
 Emperor Penguins |
|
USNS-WES-C
004A
Duchy
of Westarctica |
 Map of the Balleny Islands |
 Arms of the Balleny Islands |
|
USNS-WES-C
004B
Duchy
of Westarctica |
 Map of the Balleny Islands |
 Arms of the Balleny Islands |
|
USNS-WES-C
005
Duchy
of Westarctica |
 Arms of Westarctica |
 Grand Duke Travis I |
|
USNS-WES-C
006
Duchy
of Westarctica |
 Penguin and Island Map |
 Arms of Westarctica |
|
USNS-WES-C
007A
Duchy
of Westarctica |
 Penguin and Island Map |
 Arms of Westarctica |
|
USNS-WES-C
007B
Duchy
of Westarctica |
 Penguin and Island Map |
 Arms of Westarctica |
|
The Grand Duchy of Westarctica is an internet micronation founded in 2001, by Travis McHenry, a cryptozoologist and former US Navy sailor who lives in Norfolk, Virginia. On 2 November, McHenry - who claims direct descent from Patrick McHenry, the 17th Century Baron of Dunluce, Ireland - wrote to the governments of Russia, France, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, the United States and the United Kingdom, announcing his intention to take personal possession of the wedge-shaped section of the Antarctic continent known as Marie Byrd Land. This area is not claimed by any of the signatories to the Antarctic Treaty, however it was claimed in the early 1990s by the Dominion of Melchizedech, a well-known micronation some of whose members have been indicted on a range of fraud charges. McHenry originally named his state the Achaean Territory of Antarctica (apparently inspired by the works of Homer), before changing it to the current configuration on 10 June, 2004. Apart from selling his friends and associates bargain-priced Westarctican peerages and instituting a constitution establishing the Grand Duchy as a “Protestant Christian" nation, Westarctica’s ruler took a relaxed attitude to the administration of his vast domains; as far as is known, neither McHenry nor any of his handful of subjects have ever set foot anywhere near Antarctica, and assertions on Westarctica’s website that a “relocation project” involving the “construction of new cities” has been underway since 2003, can safely be dismissed as fantasy. In January 2006 McHenry abdicated his position, handing over to Philip Karns, who now rules as Grand Duke Philip I. The only physical evidence of Westarctica’s existence outside the internet are its coins, which were designed and produced by Mr Jorge Vidal, a member of the USNS who also serves as Westarctica’s Minister of the Treasury. Westarctica website: http://www.westarctica.com/ © 2005-06, USNS / G Cruickshank. Information and scans courtesy of J Vidal, O Paz and G Cruickshank. |
||
