Narodní Cupcake

Published in Portugal - Political debates and analysis - 11 Mar 2018 19:05 - 16

Dear erevollution dwellers, now it is the time to end the trilogy of articles explaining the causes of non-standards Head of States in our little and lovely new world!

So let`s go!

Previous articles:
Part 1 of 3
Part 2 of 3




https://www.erevollution.com/public/game/flags/shiny/64/Saudi-Arabia.png

Saudi Arabia - Sultan

Sultan is obviously an Islamic-like title, as Caliph and Emir, so at first we can think that it is the title of current RL leaders of Saudi Arabia.

However, Saudi Arabia is a Kingdom, and not a Sultanate! KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) head of state (and head of government!) is a King, King Salman:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/Salman_bin_Abdull_aziz_December_9%2C_2013.jpg/471px-Salman_bin_Abdull_aziz_December_9%2C_2013.jpg

So, what the word ``Sultan`` (سلطان) means? Well, it was used in different contexts. Originally, it was an Arabic noun meaning ``strength``, ``power`` or ``authority``. Later, this word started to be used as a political title to certain rulers, as powerful provincial governors inside the caliphates of Islamic civilization, or even rulers of independent countries. It is a more humble term than ``Caliph`` (خَليفة‎), since a Caliph will theoretically be considered a successor of Prophet Muhammad and so a leader of the entire Muslim community (although more than one different Caliphate existed simultaneously in certain past periods, ruling different regions, but that is another history, since we are talking about Sultans and not about Caliphs). Also, this word differs from ``King`` (ملك aka ``malik``), since Sultan is a title restrict to Muslim countries and carry religious significance, while King is a more secular term.

(P.s.: before you ask, obviously I do not understand a single letter of the Arabic words, I am just copying them from wikipedia!)

It should be noted that modern monarchs are prefering to be called as "kings" instead of "sultans" to focus on their secular authority instead of the religious basis of Sultans.

There are a few sovereign sultanates in the modern world: Brunei and Oman are independent Sultanates, while seven of the nine Malay states have Sultan as the title of its rulers. The federal head of state in Malaysia is elected for five years by and among the hereditary state rulers; however, in foreign countries the title used for him is ``King``.

An interesting case is the Yogyakarta Sultanate, the monarchy governing the Yogyakarta Special Region, a province of Indonesia which is the last remaining region still governed by a pre-colonial hereditary ruler.

Returing to the Arabic Peninsula: in fact, some Sultanates existed on current Saudi Arabia territory:

- Sultans of Nejd
- Sultans of the Hejaz

The Sultanate of Nejd, which existed from 1921 to 1926, was a previous iteration of the current Saudi Arabia, since it was ruled by the same House of Saud who govern it now. It was succeded by another sultanate, a dual monarchy called The Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd, initially the Kingdom of Hejaz and Sultanate of Nejd, after the Kingdom of Hejaz surrendered to the Sultanate of Nejd forces - and in 1932 the two kingdoms were unified as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

They even have a countryball!

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/polandball/images/7/7c/Kingdom_of_Hejaz_and_Sultanate_of_Nejdball.png

Trivia: Saudi Arabia is the first country to grant citizenship to a robot - and a female robot, Sophia!

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Sophia_%28robot%29_2.jpg/640px-Sophia_%28robot%29_2.jpg

In erevollution, the current Sultan of Saudi Arabia is... no one, be it an human or an artificial intelligence

Now, I feel we need to travel outside the Uncanny Valley. So let`s travel to a more colorful and flamboyant country, this way ruled by a King both ingame and in RL, a tolerant land full of rainbows known as...


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


https://www.erevollution.com/public/game/flags/shiny/64/Sweden.png

Sweden - King

Since the answer to this one is very obvious (Sweden currently has a king and is a constitutional monarchy), I wasted some time seeing certain infamous memes about Sweden, which are obviously NSFW to post here (internet people know what I mean!)

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/017/546/tbDwOso.png

Anyway, let`s talk a bit about the Sweden (yes) King, Carl XVI Gustaf:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/King_Carl_XVI_Gustaf_at_National_Day_2009_Cropped.png/450px-King_Carl_XVI_Gustaf_at_National_Day_2009_Cropped.png
This face could produce a good meme

This guy is Sweden King since 1973, being the second longest-reigning monarch in Swedish history. He also has a pion for automobiles. According to the wiki, he owns several Porsche 911s, a particular favourite of the King, a vintage Volvo PV444, a Ferrari 456M GT, and an AC Cobra, among others.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jVVbj2Sp_EE/Thxyi1B9GkI/AAAAAAAAJRs/E2V2HFN1wnk/s1600/Kungen_Volvo_P1800.jpg
Receiving his first car, a Volvo P1800

https://i.redd.it/1i2ew476k9tx.jpg
In his youth during the 70s, with a Porsche 911

http://i.imgur.com/XfX2eRl.jpg
In a Ferrari, the source did not state if it is his own car

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/cf/04/ff/cf04ff89415e3303ee9a35d00352e58c.jpg
Stopping to fuel his Ferrari on a gas station in the South of Sweden

The internet likes to photoshop him using silly hats:

http://zverige.com/kingkong/grafica/Carl_XVI_Gustaf_07_350x254.jpg
As a Viking together with our previous Royal Family, the Saud Family

http://i.imgur.com/fJmc4.jpg
As the antithesis of Sweden, Pepe the Frog

A coincidence: both Carl Gustaf and the previous king of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah, were together supporting a World Organization of the Scout Movement called Messengers of Peace (blergh, lame name for an organization)

In erevollution, the King of Sweden is ... no one!

We want to see a king, and again there is no one in the office! So let`s try the next country, which have a king too...


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https://www.erevollution.com/public/game/flags/shiny/64/Thailand.png

Thailand - King

Thailand is another country which have a king in RL

The King of Thailand is another role with lots of titles: besides Head of State, it has the following titles: Head of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, Adherent of Buddhism and Upholder of religions.

The current King of Thailand is Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun (nice name!), also known as King Rama X:

539

He was declared King recently, in the end of 2016 - so recently he still has not been officially crowned! He is also the oldest Thai monarch to ascend to the throne, having 64 years when uming his glorious position.

The symbols of the Thai Monarchy include the White Elephant and the Garuda, a king of cool winged monster who is also the national symbol of Thailand:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/Lord_White_Elephant.jpg/640px-Lord_White_Elephant.jpg

470

Historically, Thailand was known as Siam. The King of Siam appeared in the book Anna and the King of Siam, adapted for many medias, sometimes as The King and I

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5d/Anna_and_the_king.jpg

Siamese cats also come from Thailand (Siam), so let`s see some pics of them!

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Niobe050905-Siamese_Cat.jpeg/220px-Niobe050905-Siamese_Cat.jpeg

436

http://www.catster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/A-Siamese-cat.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/Siam_Lilac_Point.jpg/640px-Siam_Lilac_Point.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Siamesekittens.jpg

A trivia: why the Siamese cats (among others) usually have colored fur only in their extremities, as the face, the tail and the paws?

Answer: it is a case of partial albinism. In the process of production of melanin, the pigment responsible for the skin and hair color in mammals, there is an enzyme involved, the Tyrosinase. Some cats have a mutation in this enzyme, and this mutation makes the enzyme only functional in temperatures below than 33°C (lower than the normal) body temperature, so pigment is only produced in the cooler parts of the body.


Now let`s know the King of Thailand in erevollution, who is... no one! Again!

Let`s try one more country, to see if this time we will get an ingame leader...


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


https://www.erevollution.com/public/game/flags/shiny/64/United-Arab-Emirates.png

United Arab Emirates - Caliph

UAE, as Egypt, has a Caliph in erevollution. And, as Egypt, it has no Caliph on RL... but it has a Khalifa! Let`s explain it a bit.

The UAE is a federation of seven monarchies, or better saying, emirates - and they follow the good and old style of absolute monarchism. It has a President as a Head of State, but this president is, de facto, the hereditary ruler of Abu Dabhi. Among the most important titles the President hold is the Chairman of Supreme Petroleum Council - a must on an Arabic Peninsula monarchy!

Since 2004, the UAE President (and so the Emir of Abu Dabhi) is Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, also known as Sheikh Khalifa.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Sheikh_Khalifa_bin_Zayed_Al_Nahyan_picture.jpg/306px-Sheikh_Khalifa_bin_Zayed_Al_Nahyan_picture.jpg

The tallest building in the world is named in honor of Sheikh Khalifa: the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/93/Burj_Khalifa.jpg/343px-Burj_Khalifa.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Dubai_Sunset_from_Burj_Khalifa.jpg/640px-Dubai_Sunset_from_Burj_Khalifa.jpg
A view from Burj Khalifa

Probably the most famous emirate of the UAE is the already mentioned Dubai, with its blooming economy and expensive bizarre constructions, as artificial islands.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Dubai_Wingsuit_Flying_Trip_%287623566780%29.jpg/640px-Dubai_Wingsuit_Flying_Trip_%287623566780%29.jpg

Starting as a typical place in the Arabic Peninsula - with almost no oil exploration until the 60s - Dubai diversified its economy and now is one of the most important financial hubs and turistic spots of the world.

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JEsSLGHwAZI/VyZKCOmglNI/AAAAAAAAAD8/7uhOzTZqLQMa88IGhJBp3Qz0276XdUkjgCLcB/s1600/f5b45ed39a6ed2b58a794d0cae7a9655.jpg

Port of Jebel Ali id Dubai is the 9th busiest port in the world:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/Jebel_Ali_Port_1_Imresolt.jpg/640px-Jebel_Ali_Port_1_Imresolt.jpg

The Emirates Airline, a good way to travel if you want luxury and is rich:

https://cdn.ek.aero/br/portuguese/images/DSC_5262a_525_tcm265-4517632.jpg

Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, is another prosperous place - it accounts for about two-thirds of the roughly $400-billion United Arab Emirates economy (more than Dubai)! It has 95% of the oil and 92% of the gas of the UAE, the largest GDP per capita of the Emirates (more than Dubai!)

Let`s see some bizarre and cool buildings from Abu Dabhi:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e5/Capital_Gate.jpg/512px-Capital_Gate.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Night_city_18-01-2013_-_panoramio.jpg/640px-Night_city_18-01-2013_-_panoramio.jpg

We already explained about Caliphs in our first article (see Egypt), so we will not repeat what is a Caliph here. But there are some facts about Caliphs and UAE that we should acknowledge:

In the past, UAE was part of three of the four main Caliphates of Islamic history: the Rashidun Caliphate, the Umayyad Caliphate, and the Abbasid Caliphate.


And now it`s time where we will finally list an erevollution leader! The Caliph of the UAE in erevollution is...

No one! No!!

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N0y_VGiEbDM/VJBoDkfmzOI/AAAAAAAAD6s/o-6GQX4gRuE/s1600/Cop%C3%A9-Iznogoud-pr%C3%A9sident-communication%5B1%5D.jpg
No Caliph? Let`s be President (instead of the President)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


So, folks, today we ended our series about the different ways a CP can be called in erevollution. A bit disappointed to the lack of players occupying these roles, but still, at least we saw the cute Siamese cats! So, see you later, my little humans!

P.s.: if some of the links are broken, warn me in the comments because I wrote this too late and my mind is not working at 100%


https://lparchive.org/Sid-Meiers-Alpha-Centauri-(by-nweismuller)/Update%2001/1-NwabudikeMorgan_zpsb55a36d4.png
Evil right-wing capitalist subliminal propaganda is too expensive, now it is time for liminal and superliminal propaganda! Also SMAC is a very interesting universe

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Comments (16)

first
o7, interesting
great o/
Nice series of information. Learned a lot. Thank you. o7
o7
best e-journalism ever!!!
Cool
Nice
how to learn geography without leaving your home
Google + Wikipedia hue
Wow, great article!
Pre colonial hereditary ruler? Hahhahhahhhhhh.... Special Region of Yogyakarta ruled by Governor and the governor must have Sultan Hamengku Buwana Cultural Title. It is because this region never conquered by Colonialism and they are not subdued but rather through political compromises
Votado
But that is a pre (before) colonial ruler, a monarchy which comes from before the Dutch colonization of the country, instead of a government from after the colonialism (post-colonial ruler))
The monarchy ruler position does not have any power to rule (no army, no state law, no police) but has wisdom to influence local population, the power comes from Governor Title. It is how we respect each other between local wisdom and regional constitution power
A constitutional monarchy, more or less like United Kingdom, is that?