House of Columbia

The House of Columbia (also referred to as the House of Sierra or the Jacobite House) is the ruling and founding of the Kingdom of Sierra and the official successor to the defunct. Founded on November 28, 1858 by King Smith I, on the same day of the promulgation of the new constitution and creation of the current government of Sierra.

The House is also officially recognized and regarded by the as the  to the thrones of Britain (including, , , and ) and France. The claims to the first four titles were made by Smith I by on March 18, 1859 and remain sanctioned to the present-day with current head Angelina II holding the title of Queen of Britain respectively. The claim to the French throne was dropped although not formally relinquished in 1919 by King Lewis I.

These claims are in dispute with the Francisite succession movement which holds that the Rhodesian-based House of Rhodes is the royal house of Britain by right through Queen. Unlike the House of Rhodes, the House of Columbia has not revived the or a religious equivalent in Sierra for both legal and personal reasons (the  embodied in the Sierran constitution strictly prohibits such establishment and the House members has traditionally been privately affiliated with the  or  churches). For these reasons, House monarchs have not assumed the traditional British title of . In addition, Columbia has historically claimed the additional throne to France, one that Rhodes has never claimed. Both the Houses of Columbia and Rhodes' claims are unrecognized by the government of Britain and ineligible to the defunct throne through the 1684 Commonwealth State Act.

The House of Columbia was formed in response to the selection of founder Smith I as the first king of the new monarchy established in Sierra under the 1858 Constitution. The California Republic, the predecessor state of Sierra, had gained its independence from Mexico in 1848 through the following the Mexican-American War, but after ten years, was considered a bureaucratic disaster. In need for a more efficient and stable government, Californian delegates were called to draft a entirely new constitution. The delegation comprised primarily of two factions: republicans and royalists, the former that demanded an -styled republic and the other a monarchy.

Through compromise, it was agreed that the new constitution would incorporate elements of both a monarchy and a democratic republic, with a weak, monarchy and an American-styled civil government. Convention president Smith Charles Miller, a man who had worked extensively in the Californian government and had ancestral origins to the House of Stuarts, was chosen to lead the nation as its king. Acceding, Smith was crowned King Smith I, and consequently became the head of the newly formed House of Columbia.

Today, the House of Columbia is composed of 5 members in the Royal Family which includes the King and Queen and their children; 11 members in the Extended Court; and hundreds more relatives without a formal title or distinction proscribed. The official motto of the House is Renatus et redemit or "Redeemed and reborn" in –a reference to the House's connection to the fallen House of Stuart.

House of Stuart

 * Main article: 

The House of Columbia has lineage to the extinct British House of Stuart whose last reigning monarch was. The Stuarts, who were d following the execution of Charles I, fled to the under the protection of the. Continuing to claim the Crowns of England and Scotland (which had been dissolved under the rule of ) through the, the House tried several to seize power.

Following the failed where House heir  was defeated at the, the Stuarts extinguished any further prospects to the throne and fled to Spain. The exile in Spain was short-lived, and by 1772, through safe passage by Spanish ship, the Stuarts arrived in the British colony,, to meet up and rally Jacobite supporters. The Stuarts hoped to gain the approval of the colonists, have them revolt against the British Lord Protectorate, and restore the monarchy as a new country. With colonial sentiment fiercely opposed to a monarchy, the Stuarts failed to gather significant support, but their cause was half-fulfilled through the in 1765 when the American colonies fought to overthrow British control.

In the United States
With the formation of the, the government stripped the Stuarts of their titles, formally ending the House of Stuart. Disgraced and reviled, the Stuart's patriarch, Charles died in 1788 after years of prolonged and. Charles' brother,, disenfranchised of his brother's rights and titles as head of the Stuarts, would not pursue the title and instead, became a priest, thus officially ending the Stuarts' claim to the British throne. Charles' only child who survived past infancy,, whose remains up to debate, married former  captain James Miller and settled in ,. Prior to her father's death, Charlotte was named the official heir in Charles Edward's will. Historians have disputed on whether or not her father and mother,, were married but Jacobites and the House of Columbia have asserted that Charlotte was indeed legitimate. Although she had secured the property of her father following his death, Charlotte Stuart was unable to secure correspondence with any relatives or benefactors in Europe. Fearing the hatred attached to her family name in both the United States and in her ancestral home, Britain, Stuart took up her husband's name, Miller, and legally renamed herself to Belle to remove local suspicion of her connection to the disgraced family. Belle and James fathered three children, including eldest son Gregory, the father of future king Smith I.

Owning a shop, James passed the shop to Gregory following his death, without revealing to him of Gregory's mother's former past. Gregory took up the family business and was only told later of his lineage to the former House of Stuart at the deathbed of his mother in 1809. Having learned of this, Gregory decided to disregard his mother's claim, and vowed to live a simple life as the town tanner.

Gregory eventually met his wife, Anna Clemens in 1810 during a trip to. Falling in love, the two married the following year and settled in his home in Newark. When the broke out, Gregory enlisted and left his pregnant wife in the care of his uncle and brother. Returning back, Gregory sustained minor injuries, and recovered quickly. The couple welcomed their first child, George in 1813, and Walter in 1819.

Gregory and Anna's youngest child, Smith, was born on March 18, 1822. Smith, grew up attending a one-room schoolhouse and dropped out at the age of 11 to become his father's apprentice as a tanner. Resentful of the job, Smith ran away from home at the age of 14 only to return after learning his two brothers were killed in a ferry accident. Towards his mid-20s, Smith improved his relationship with his parents and developed new skills through different professions including a, , and.

In California
When news of came to light in, Smith disembarked for San Francisco City where he would set up a shop and a local newspaper. Growing popular, Smith secured the position of mayor of the city in 1849 and then state treasurer of the California Republic in 1854. While in California, he met his wife, Rachel Miller (neé Miller) and paid for his parents to move into the country.

By 1857, the California Republic had begun showing signs of failure with an incredulous amount of debt to Mexico and the United States and the general costs from the Mexican-American War. In addition, law enforcement was sparse, weak, and unorganized, making laws and court orders unenforceable and crime rampant in cities and rural areas alike. Inefficient and dysfunctional alongside calls from the public for action, the Republic called upon a constitutional convention to draft up an entirely new constitution and a new form of government that would target the issues of the Republic. Smith was among the 45 delegates invited to the convention and from there, he was selected as its president due to his charisma, prestige, and experience.

The convention was dominated primarily between two factions: the Republicans and the Royalists, the former who favored an American-styled republic while the latter a monarchy reminiscent of the historic British model. Ironically, Smith at the time aligned himself with the Republicans, believing that the previous core model of the Californian government was appropriate.

In time, however, Smith began leaning towards the center, favoring a combination of republican and monarchist elements, due in part to the bitter disagreement between the factions. Smith himself, also began seriously considering his own ancestral roots and believed that he could be in the position of attaining the position as King if a monarchy form of government were approved. Ultimately, under his leadership, the new constitution would incorporate a government featuring a mostly ceremonial government with a strong civilian government modeled closely after the American form of government. When it had come to selecting a monarch, the choice was naturally divested to Smith who initially declined but ultimately acquiesced to.

Smith I
On November 28, 1858, Smith and Rachel were crowned as King and Queen Consort of Sierra respectively and Smith founded the House of Columbia, declaring it the direct, contemporary successor house of the House of Stuart by right in his relation to Charles Edward Stuart (the Bonnie Prince Charles; Charles III in Jacobite succession) and King Charles I.

As the King, Smith set the precedent of abstaining from partisan politics whilst maintaining constant cooperation with Parliament and the public. Attentive in his role as the King, he nonetheless met backlash from the agrarian- Democratic-Republican Party which opposed the monarchy and Smith's apparent interference in parliamentary affairs. Nearly witnessing the abolition of the monarchy by Parliament led by Prime Minister Ulysses Perry as his fourth great-grandfather, Charles I, did, Smith survived the political ordeal following the prime minister's death, and drastically improved his relationship with his historically disoriented subjects thereafter. Overseeing rapid technological development and the colonization of the vast Sierran wilderness, Smith commissioned great railroad projects and communication networks. Promoting industrialization and international trade, Smith expanded his horizons during his reign by starting an ambitious plan for Sierra. Strengthening the military and hoping to bring prestige to the young kingdom, in the late 1870s to 1890s, he saw the acquisitions of the Deseret, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, Rapa Nui, Hawaii, and the Samoan Islands.

Towards the end of his reign, Smith continued to cultivate dialogue between the monarchy and the civilian government. Dedicated towards the improvement of the public, Smith approved various public works projects and economic plans towards infrastructure, agriculture, education, defense, and health. In addition, Smith voiced his disdain for and called for its total ban in Sierra which culminated with the passage of the First Amendment.

In 1893, Smith's health complications compounded when he suffered a flu that deteriorated into. Recovering, the king found himself weaker and fell down the stairs of the Parliament Building in July, suffering a hip fracture, broken nose, and a minor head injury. From then on, Smith was confined to the bed, where he eventually passed later in August after developing a. His son, Lewis I, the Crown Prince, succeeded him immediately and Smith's body was laid in state for public display at the Parliament. His body was then buried in a below the Parliament Building known as the Tomb of the West where it remains today.

Lewis I
Succeeding his father in 1893, Lewis was aged 37 at the time and was the to the throne. Having been groomed by his father for the throne, Lewis ascended the throne with a deep understanding of the Kingdom and the needs of his people. Hailed as a during his reign, Lewis supported the Sierran s movement for ethnic and religious minorities, and tighter business regulations. Sierra underwent fundamental changes under Lewis, most notably its culture, where white European and East Asian ideas were unified and incorporated into one. Dedicated to the domestic affairs of Sierra, Lewis kept Sierra out of international quarrels and entanglements. During both, Lewis tried maintaining neutrality and provided humanitarian aid. However, following the Japanese of Sierran-American naval base,, Lewis was forced to declare war on former ally, , in retaliation.

Economically, Lewis worked closely with his prime ministers on plans to expand and protecting the interests of small farmers and laborers. Lewis also campaigned quite seriously on the protection of workers' rights and supported laws to break up the  arising in Sierra. During the, Lewis worked closely with Parliament and economists to provide relief to the people and a swift recovery.

Hailed as a contemporary thinker, Lewis fought back against  and, by both supporting the enfranchisement of racial minorities and women. Quashing several race-fueled riots that erupted in the 1910s and 20s, Lewis paved the way towards the integration of multiculturalism and admixture of different ideas into Sierra. Nonetheless, Lewis fiercely defended the honor and sanctity of the monarchy, so drastic that he even went to expelling his own two eldest sons, Charles, Prince of Mojave and George, Prince of Sonora from the House and line of succession for their involvement in and infidelity respectively.

Lewis died in 1946 when Sierra had just entered World War II. Succeeded by his daughter, Angelina I, Lewis' legacy would briefly be marred by his involvement in the, a scandal later known as the Great Basin controversy. Despite this, Lewis has been viewed quite favorably and remembered for his countless contributions towards civil rights, economic reform, and labor rights.

Angelina I
Angelina ascended the throne after her father, Lewis, died in 1943. Originally the third in the line of succession at birth--after her two older brothers, she became the when her father evicted the princes from the House and invalidated their royal titles for their involvement in damaging scandals. At her coronation, her gown was embroidered with the symbols of all the Sierran provinces, territories, and controversially, the English, Scots , Irish , and Welsh --a quiet political message that the new Queen would continue to claim the title as Monarch of Britain, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales. Having already married Prince Adam while she was princess, she decided to retain the house name of Columbia instead of Lewis' family name, Huntington.

Her early reign was marred by the unveiling controversy involving Sierra and the United States' joint nuclear war program: the Manhattan Bomb Project. Sierra, which was neutral at the outbreak of the war, allowed the United States access to Sierran land for nuclear bomb testing and development directly for the war effort in exchange for mutual nuclear exchange. News of this disturbed the public which were under the impression that the government had only joined the war because of the attack in Pearl Harbor. It had been assumed that Japan, Sierra's former ally, had betrayed Sierra but with the revelation, it had been apparent that Sierra's entry to war was already premeditated and actively participating in a program that would result in the destruction of and.

Although the scandal placed most blame on the civilian government, Angelina worked effortlessly to clear it from the Royal Family, stressing that her father would have never had involved himself in such a project. Respected for her efforts, she supported more open transparency in the government, and asked the civilian government to declassify thousands of documents, recordings, and footage which proved Sierra's involvement and the extent of its involvement in the Manhattan Project.

Unlike her father, Angelina dedicated her reign in nonpartisan issues from raising awareness on obesity, illnesses, and poverty. Despite this, Angelina kept herself well-informed in political issues and happenings, often conferring with her prime ministers and the Privy Council. Although she upheld abstinence from partisanship, scholars have described her views as. She made 67 state visits and visited 47 nations throughout her life as princess, crown princess, and queen, making her the most prolific traveling monarch as of yet. The longest-reigning Sierran monarch, Angelina ruled for 59 ¾ years before succumbing to an age-related illness on October 17, 2005. She was only a little more than 4 months away from her Diamond Jubilee in the February of 2006.

Smith II
Smith II succeeded his mother as King of Sierra on October 17, 2005 following the death of his mother, Queen Angelina. The Crown Prince, Smith had founded and led the successful company, Cabrillo Technologies as its, during his tenure and established himself as a well-known, prolific figure in the House. His ascension was well-received with Smith seen as a visionary and an open-minded king who would be open to reform and progress.

As king, up until recently, Smith enjoyed uniform support from the general public and from the civilian government. While still viewed positively towards the end of his reign, mounting opposition to his capacity as King has grown. Smith and his family have also contributed millions of dollars towards charity and public works through either official or private financial support. In addition, Smith has made frequent visits to local communities throughout Sierra and abroad, to represent the Crown and the people. Generally nonpartisan, Smith has at times, through his capacity as King, voiced his support for certain policies, generally economic ones, implemented by his prime ministers and Parliament.

Smith however, was not been spared from opposition and controversy. Although he was a self-described, critics decried his views seeming hypocritical through his capacity as a monarch at the pinnacle of Sierra's government. Resurgent anti-monarchist sentiment ignited following Smith's invocation of a royal in 2015. Following the June 6 attacks, Parliament tried passing a bill that would authorize the use of aggressive military force against Mexico. The bill failed short of a few votes in order to pass but despite this concluded parliamentary process, Smith used his royal of the issuance of an edict to override the bill's defeat, and allowed the Sierran Crown Armed Forces to attack Mexico. Although regarded by political analysts as technically legal, critics believed the king overextended his powers from his traditional capacity of nonpartisanship. Despite widespread popular support for war, wariness of the precedent act and implications of future royal use troubled republicans who called for Smith's and the dissolution of the monarchy. Smith himself at one point (before his controversial act), believed that if enough Sierrans desired for the abolition of the monarchy, he himself would support it. Even with the war ultimately becoming a success, opposition remained bitter and he abdicated in favor of his daughter, the Crown Princess Elisa.

Members
The 1858 proclamation of the House of Columbia's creation stated that all Sierran descendants of Smith I and Rachel in the male line were to bear the name Columbia, except for women who married into other families, both royal or common. Presently, all living Sierran male-line descendants descend from the children of Lewis I and Martha, including those of Charles, Prince of Mojave and George, Prince of Sonora whose names and issue were restored with their royal titles and rights by Angelina I in 1963.

Royal family tree
The family tree below depicted only includes the monarchs, their consorts, and their issue starting with the civilian parents on Smith I and Rachel's side.

Monarch
King/Queen of Sierra
 * Protector of All Sierrans
 * Archduke/Archduchess of Sierra
 * Duke/Duchess of Sonoma
 * Duke/Duchess of Monterey
 * Sovereign of Los Pacifícos Flag of Pacifico Norte.png / Flag of Pacifico Sur.png
 * Sovereign of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Flag of Kiribati.png
 * Sovereign of Rapa Nui Flag of Rapa Nui.png
 * Sovereign/Paramount Chief of the Hawaiian and Midwayan Islands Flag of Hawaii (Sierra).png
 * Sovereign/Paramount Chief of the Sierran Samoa Flag of Sierran Samoa.svg
 * Sovereign of the Deseret Flag of Deseret.png
 * Sovereign of All Other Loyal Lands and Islands of Sierra Flag of Pacific Crown Islands.png

Monarch of Britain (disputed)
 * Monarch of England Flag of England.svg
 * Monarch of Scotland (Monarch of the Scots) Flag of Scotland.png
 * Monarch of Ireland Flag of Ireland.png
 * Monarch of Wales Flag of Wales.png

Monarch of Britannia-France (disputed; no longer claimed)'''
 * Monarch of France Flag of Gaul.svg

Consort
Queen Consort/Prince Consort of Sierra
 * Archduchess of Sierra/Duke of El Capitan
 * Grand Dame/Knight of the Celebrated Order of the Golden Poppy
 * Grand Dame/Knight of the Order of Merit
 * Grand Dame/Knight of the Royal Order of the Rose of Sharon
 * Grand Dame/Knight of the Royal Order of the Navel
 * Coronet of the Order of the Harmonious Kingdom
 * Coronet of the Order of the Pacific
 * Member First Class of the Royal Family of King Smith I
 * Member First Class of the Order of the Tricolor
 * Member First Class of the Order of the Encircled Star
 * Member First Class of the Order of King Smith I
 * Member First Class of the Order of King Lewis I
 * Member First Class of the Order of Queen Angelina I
 * Member First Class of the Royal Family of King Smith II
 * Lady/Lord of His/Her Royal Highness' Most Honorable Privy Council
 * Personal Aide-de-Camp to His/Her Royal Highness
 * Lady/Lord Patron of Sierra

Other
Crown Prince/Princess of Mojave
 * Crown Prince/Princess of Sierra
 * Duke/Duchess of Mojave
 * Earl/Countess of Palm Springs
 * Baron/Baroness of Barstow
 * Lord/Lady of the Channel Islands

Prince/Princess of Sonora

Prince/Princess of Colorado

Prince/Princess of Tahoe

Prince/Princess of Monterey

Prince/Princess of Sonoma

Duke/Duchess of Cabo