Alternative History
Register
Advertisement
Kristjana VII
Caroline Louisa Pratt Bartlett by Rembrandt Peale - BMA
Kristjana VII
Queen of Vinland
Reign 15th October, 1857 - 8th September, 1885
Predecessor Svenný II
Successor Svenný III
Born 4th January, 1831
Fjallasay, Vinland
Died 8th September, 1885
Vinland
Spouse William, Viscount of Lippe
Issue Matthías Vilhjálmursson

Svenný Vilhjálmursdottír
Hjalti Vilhjálmursson
Áslaug Vilhjálmursdottír
Lára Vilhjálmursdottír
Kristín Vilhjálmursdottír

Full name
Kristjana Rannveig Thorey Leopoldina Eiriksdottír Hlynursdottír
House Eiriksdottír
Father Lord Hlynur Hórdursson of Nesúlfr
Mother Svenný II

Kristjana VII was Queen of Vinland for almost three decades in the late 19th century. Her reign was marked by rapid developments in industrialisation.

Whilst in Europe innovation was held back by patents, in Vinland and its neighbours engineers and inventors were mostly free to improve upon the pressure steam engines of Christiansen. Steam-powered ships were soon dominating the Fraeburt Votnum. Though true steam-powered locomotives only appeared at the very end of her reign, in various places horse-drawn railways had been built by the 1870s, mostly in places were canals would be unfeasible.

The advances meant that while the new industrial towns built around fast rivers still had their place more industry could grow in the older established medieval cities. This growth led to the rapid building of slums, especially in the larger towns of Sud-Hafsvaedaland Fylk, with all the attributed problems of crime and ill-health. The mining and transportation of coal, from Eikland Fylk or Passamaquoddia, would partially re-invigorate the maritime provinces after the lean Leifian Crisis years. It also up-ended power structures in some places.

In the Saukland, focus shifted away from the old medieval market town of Saginaw, to the newer industrial town of Waawiiyaataanong/Wawyátostadt. Whilst there was certainly a influx of Vinlanders to the new industries being set up there importantly the factory owners were mostly Sauk rather than Vinlandic, meaning a repeat of the Sauk Revolt of 1824-25 protesting the influx of farm laborers from maritime Vinland, was less likely. The Sauk industrialists were much more willing to work with the Althing and as political power sapped away from the old elites in Saginaw the territory began to see itself much more as a integral part of Vinland rather than an occupied territory.

Whilst Álengiamark mostly allowed its own 'captains of industry' to become hugely wealthy with little restraint, the prevailing attitudes in Vinland held that wealth should be shared with the community. Philanthropy was lauded, naked profiteering was frowned upon and frequently denounced in the Althing and the press. Though distant from her subjects, and the Althing which mostly trundled on with a reformist programme, Kristjana quietly used the limited funds of the Royal estate for social work. Though her efforts were noted, her modest behaviour meant she and her family never really got the credit for their work. As her reign came to an end voices for the abolition of the monarchy were louder than ever.

Personal Life[]

Kristjana was painfully shy and despite the efforts of her parents and tutors remained so throughout her life. She eschewed most social events, had never addressed the Althing and mostly 'hid away' in the Aprikóshöll with a small household. When it came to her succession in 1857 the Althing seriously debated whether to pass her over in favour of her more sociable sister Thyri (though Thyri would die in 1863, childless). Of her husband, the mild-mannered William, Viscount of Lippe, the acerbic playwright Tómas Birgirsson remarked that his sole contribution to Vinland was to 'shave off his beard'.

The apparent boring normality of the royal family shifted the public's attention away from the royals and landed gentry in general. Instead newspapers and journals began to focus on the lives and careers of actors and actresses, writers, singers, and indeed any person who briefly showed enough talent to sell a few copies. Though all of Vinland's newspapers were still provincial there were a few national weekly journals.

Kristjana married William, Viscount of Lippe, in 1849. The couple would have 6 children.

Kristjana died in 1885. Her daughter Svenný III succeeded her.

Advertisement