Prince of the sea platform. The smallest state in the world: sea fortresses
Reading the article will take: 5 minutes.The initial idea was to capture a no-man's sea platform and organize some kind of entertainment center like an amusement park on it. The gamble was interesting, albeit financially costly, but Paddy's two sidekicks Roy Bates and Ronan O'Reilly decided to take the risk and secure a source of constant income. Shortly after the 1966 landing, the friends differed and Bates sent O'Reilly “out of the blue,” claiming that from now on the platform belonged only to him. However, the retired major of the British Armed Forces did not have money for a complete re-equipment of the platform, and he decided on a mind-blowing step - he declared the platform territory equal to 1,300 square meters, the Principality of Sealand, and himself - the monarch and Prince Roy I. Do you think he is a potential patient of a psychiatric hospital? Everything is much more complicated ...
The territory of the Sealand Principality in its "youth" served in the army and bore the name "Fort Maunsell" - the offshore platform was created and installed by order of the British Navy in 1942. There were several dozen similar platforms along the coastline of England, each housed a detachment of two hundred soldiers serving the anti-aircraft gun complex. With their help, Churchill and the British Admiralty hoped to seriously thin out the ranks of German bombers in the event of an air strike from the side Hitlerite Germany, track the setting of minefields by enemy minelayers - the anti-aircraft gun platforms were something like the first line of defense of Great Britain.
The second World War ended in victory for the allies and the line of defense from offshore platforms was dismantled, but "Fort Maunsell" remained in its place - guns and other army equipment were removed from it, but they had no right to remove it (Nok John Fort remained, he is in the image below). The fact is that, according to international law, the maritime territory along the perimeter of the British Isles, which is owned by Great Britain, is limited to three nautical miles from the coastline. All other anti-aircraft gun platforms were displayed within its limits, but "Fort Maunsell" was installed farthest - six nautical miles from the coast, exactly opposite the mouth of the River Thames. Those. England had no right to it and therefore could not dismantle it - the platform became no-man's, located in neutral waters.
Another post-war platform and fellow Sealand - Knock John Fort
In the media of the middle of the last century, the no-man's offshore platform received the nickname "Hooligan Tower" or "Rafs Tower" - the platform is available, but it does not have an owner. And in 1966 this situation was changed by the British Bates and O'Reilly, they had reasons for that - both were in conflict with the law of Great Britain and were considered radio pirates for the illegal radio stations Radio Essex and Radio Caroline (lack of a license, non-payment taxes, copyright infringement, etc.). Returning to the former Major Roy Bates, who became the sole owner of the Rafs Tower, the first thing he did was re-launch his Radio Essex, enjoying freedom from the jurisdiction of England. But the euphoria did not last long - the structure of the platform was in a deplorable state and required constant repairs, and Bates, who, moreover, England refused to pay his pension, did not have money for this ... But he was found - after lengthy negotiations with lawyers and lawyers, a retired soldier declared himself prince and monarch of the Sealand principality, the territory of which was the sea platform and the three-mile sea zone around it.
The young principality immediately had two military conflicts - a former friend of O'Reilly tried to knock out a radio pirate colleague and appropriate the platform for himself, the British Navy made a similar attempt, also trying to return the platform to its jurisdiction and expel the cheeky invader along with family and friends, whom Bates by that time he had settled in the former army barracks of Sealand. We must pay tribute to the extraordinary courage and determination of the retired major, his family and friends - both attacks were repulsed! In the first case, the population of the platform fought off the attackers with the help of rifles, machine guns and flamethrowers (!), In the second, the British Coast Guard boats turned to the coast, as soon as rifle bullets whistled over their heads (the captains of the Navy can be understood - get wounded just like that and fight with civilians they did not want, not the case).
Passport, coins and postage stamps of the Principality of Sealand
Now about the legal status of the Sealand Principality. Faced with armed resistance from the population of Sealand, representatives of the British Navy applied to the Essex court with a demand to release the platform illegally occupied by an English citizen. But the judge of Essex accepted reverse solution- in early September 1968, he ruled that the Sealand offshore platform was outside the jurisdiction of Great Britain, i.e. the laws of the country have no power over its population. This was the first success of the young principality, which Prince Roy I Bates immediately decided to consolidate by issuing his own postage stamps in 1969 (and demanding from the Universal Postal Union in Brussels to accept the principality of Sealand into its structure), starting to mint his own coin in 1972, and in 1975 - creating the Constitution of the Sealand monarchy, its coat of arms, flag and anthem.
Those. according to the international Montevideo Convention, adopted in 1933 at the 7th Pan American Conference, the principality of Sealand has all the features of an independent state, namely: it has its own territory, there is a permanent population, it has its own government and the principality is able (and has repeatedly tried!) to enter into diplomatic relations with other states.
So, since 1967 - already 45 years - the principality of Sealand has existed in good health, and the "august" family of a retired British major, who exchanged his homeland for a princely title, has amassed a considerable fortune. I had a reasonable question - how much income can a principality, located on the high seas and on an area the size of a football field, bring? The first source of income was the pirate Radio Essex, then Roy I and his family switched to all sorts of promotional items - cups, T-shirts, posters, etc. Trade was greatly aided by the attempted coup d'état in Sealand in 1978, which brought incredible popularity to the microscopic principality and its population in the European media.
Crown Prince of Sealand Michael Bates
As monarch of a sovereign state with all the necessary regalia, Roy I Bates, his wife, Princess Joan I Bates, the heir to the princely throne, Prince Regent Michael I and daughter Penelope are engaged in trade in titles and other attributes of the principality - to acquire the title and the corresponding documentation for it for 316 Anyone can $ on the official website of the Principality of Sealand sealandgov.org. And the former putschist and Prime Minister of Sealand Count Alexander Gottfried Achenbach, a citizen of Germany, declared himself a "government in exile" and actively traded fake passports of the principality, selling about 150,000 documents for $ 1,000 each (at the request of Interpol, Prince Roy I canceled the action all passports of Sealand several years ago). From 2000 to 2008, the servers of the HavenCo hosting company were located on the platform of the principality, which made a bet on the offshore zone and paid a tidy sum for rent.
Diploma for the title of the Principality of Sealand
Since 2007, the principality has offshore platform sold for only 750 million euros, on its territory now only one of the 27 citizens of Sealand is permanently located. The elderly prince himself and his wife ten years ago moved on land to England - not the age to live on a platform in the middle of the sea.
Principality of Sealand(English Principality of Sealand) is a micro-state located on an offshore platform in the North Sea 10 kilometers off the coast of Great Britain, according to some sources, meets all the criteria for statehood specified in the Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States, and is an unrecognized state
Prehistory of Sealand
Rafs Tower platform eng. Roughs Tower on which Sealand is located
Physically, the territory of Sealand emerged during the Second World War. In 1942, the British Navy built a series of platforms on the approaches to the coast. One of them was the Roughs Tower. During the war, anti-aircraft guns were housed there and a garrison of 200 people was located. After the end of hostilities, most of the towers were destroyed, but the Rafs Tower, outside British territorial waters, remained intact.
Capturing the platform and founding Sealand
In 1966, retired British Army Major Paddy Roy Bates and his friend Ronan O'Reilly chose the long-abandoned Rafs Tower platform to build an amusement park. However, after a while they quarreled, and Bates became the sole owner of the island. In 1967, O'Reilly attempted to take over the island and used force to do so, but Bates defended himself with rifles, shotguns, Molotov cocktails and flamethrowers, and O'Reilly's attack was repulsed.
Roy did not build an amusement park, but chose a platform to host his pirate radio Britain's Better Music Station, but this radio station has never broadcast from the platform. On September 2, 1967, he announced the creation of a sovereign state and proclaimed himself Prince Roy I. This day is celebrated as the main public holiday.
Conflict with Great Britain
In 1968 the British authorities tried to take over the platform. Patrol boats approached her, and the princely family responded with warning shots into the air. The case did not come to bloodshed, but a lawsuit was launched against Prince Roy as a British subject. On September 2, 1968, an Essex judge issued a historic ruling: he found the case to be outside British jurisdiction.
In 1972, Sealand began minting the coin. In 1975, the first constitution of Sealand entered into force. The flag and coat of arms appeared.
Attempted coup
In August 1978, a coup took place in the country. It was preceded by tensions between the prince and his closest associate, the country's prime minister, Count Alexander Gottfried Achenbach. The parties disagreed on attracting investments to the country and accused each other of anti-constitutional intentions. Taking advantage of the absence of the prince, who was negotiating with investors in Austria, Achenbach landed on the island with a group of Dutch citizens. The invaders locked the young Prince Michael in a basement and then took him to the Netherlands. But Michael escaped from captivity and met with his father. With the support of loyal citizens of the country, the ousted monarchs managed to defeat the usurpers and return to power.
The government acted in strict accordance with the norms of international law. The captured foreign mercenaries were soon released, as the Geneva Convention on the Rights of Prisoners of War requires the release of prisoners after the end of hostilities. The organizer of the coup was removed from all posts and convicted of high treason in accordance with the Sealand laws, but he had a second - German - citizenship, so the FRG authorities became interested in his fate. The British Foreign Office refused to intervene in this matter, and German diplomats had to negotiate directly with Sealand. The senior legal adviser of the German embassy arrived on the island in London dr Niemüller, which was the pinnacle of the actual recognition of Sealand by the real states. Prince Roy demanded diplomatic recognition of Sealand, but in the end, given the bloodless nature of the failed coup, agreed to oral assurances and generously released Achenbach.
The losers continued to insist on their rights. They formed the Sealand government in exile (FRG). Achenbach claimed to be the chairman of the Sealand Privy Council. In January 1989, he was arrested by the FRG authorities (which naturally did not recognize his diplomatic status) and handed over his post to the Minister for Economic Cooperation Johannes W. F. Seiger, who soon became Prime Minister. Re-elected in 1994 and 1999.
Expansion of territorial waters
On September 30, 1987, Sealand announced the expansion of its territorial waters from 3 to 12 nautical miles. The next day, the UK made a similar statement. There was no reaction from the British government to the expansion of Sealand's territorial waters. From the point of view of international law, this means that the sea zone between the two countries should be divided equally. This fact is considered by supporters of Sealand's independence as a fact of his recognition. Although the absence of a bilateral agreement regulating this issue has caused dangerous incidents. So, in 1990, Sealand fired warning salvos at a British ship that unauthorizedly approached its border.
Fake Sealand passports
The name of Sealand, unbeknownst to the government, was embroiled in a grandiose criminal scam. In 1997, a branched international syndicate came to the attention of Interpol, which established a trade in fake Sealand passports (Sealand himself never sold passports and did not provide political asylum). Over 150 thousand fake passports (including diplomatic ones), as well as driver's licenses, university diplomas and other forged documents were sold to citizens of Hong Kong (during the period of its transfer under the control of the PRC) and of Eastern Europe... In several European countries ah, attempts were recorded to open bank accounts and even acquire weapons using Sealand passports. The cybercriminals' headquarters were located in Germany, the sphere of activity covered Spain, Great Britain, France, Slovenia, Romania and Russia. In the case, a Russian citizen Igor Popov appeared as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sealand. In the United States, a connection was discovered between this case and the murder of Gianni Versace (the killer committed suicide on a yacht whose owner had a fake Sealand diplomatic passport). The Sealand government fully cooperated with the investigation and after that unpleasant incident canceled passports.
Sealand and HavenCo Collaboration
In 2000, HavenCo hosted its hosting in Sealand, in return, the government pledged to guarantee the inviolability of freedom of information legislation (with respect to the Internet, everything is allowed in Sealand except spam, hacker attacks and child pornography). HavenCo hoped that its location on a sovereign territory would save it from the restrictions of British Internet law. HavenCo ceased to exist in 2008
Fire on Sealand
On June 23, 2006, the State of Sealand suffered the worst natural disaster in its history. A fire broke out on the platform, the cause of which is indicated by a short circuit. The fire destroyed almost all buildings. As a result of the fire, one victim was taken by a British BBC rescue helicopter to a hospital in the UK. The state was restored quickly enough: by November of the same year.
Sale of Sealand
In January 2007, the owners of the country announced their intention to sell it. Immediately after that, the Pirate Bay torrent site began raising funds for the acquisition of Sealand.
In January 2009, the Spanish real estate agency Inmo-Naranja announced its intention to put Sealand up for sale for 750 million euros. But soon the prince decided not to sell the "state"
Legal status
The position of Sealand compares favorably with the position of other virtual states. The Principality has physical territory and some legal basis for international recognition. The independence requirement is based on three arguments. The most fundamental of these is the fact that Sealand was founded in neutral waters prior to the entry into force of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, prohibiting the construction of man-made structures on the high seas, and before the expansion of the UK's sovereign maritime zone from 3 to 12 nautical miles in 1987. year. Due to the fact that the Rafs Tower platform, on which Sealand is located, was abandoned and deleted from the lists of the British Admiralty, its occupation is considered colonization. The settlers who settled on it believe that they had every right to establish a state and establish a form of government at their own discretion. Sealand meets all the criteria of statehood specified in the Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States. According to international standards, the size of the state cannot be an obstacle to recognition. For example, the recognized British possession of Pitcairn Island has a population of only about 60.
The second important argument is the 1968 British court ruling that there was no British jurisdiction over Sealand. No other country has also claimed its rights to Sealand.
Thirdly, there are several facts of de facto recognition of Sealand. The Montevideo Convention states that states have the right to exist and defend themselves regardless of official recognition. In modern international practice, tacit (non-diplomatic) recognition is a fairly widespread phenomenon. It arises when a regime does not have sufficient legitimacy, but exercises actual power on its territory. For example, many states do not recognize the Republic of China diplomatically, but de facto view it as a sovereign country. There are four such pieces of evidence regarding Sealand:
Great Britain does not pay Prince Roy a pension for the period when he was in Sealand.
UK courts declined to consider the 1968 and 1990 lawsuits against Sealand.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and the FRG entered into negotiations with the government of Sealand.
The Belgian Post recognized the Sealand marks for some time.
In theory, Sealand's position is quite convincing. If recognized, the principality would become the smallest country in the world and the 51st state in Europe. However, according to the founding theory, which is more common in modern international law, a state can exist only insofar as it is recognized by other states. Therefore, Sealand cannot be accepted into any an international organization, cannot create its own mailing address, domain name. None of the countries established diplomatic relations with him.
Sealand is trying to achieve recognition of independence by some major state, but did not try to achieve independence through the UN.
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Which country is the smallest? Many will answer: Vatican. However, ten kilometers from the coast of Great Britain is a tiny independent state - Sealand. The principality is located on an abandoned offshore platform.
Background
The Rafs Tower ("Tower of the Hooligans" in English) was built during the Second World War. To protect against Nazi bombers, several such platforms were installed off the coast of Great Britain. They had an anti-aircraft gun complex, which was guarded and served by 200 soldiers.
The Roughs Tower platform, which later became the physical territory occupied by the virtual state, was located six miles from the Thames estuary. And the territorial waters of Britain ended three miles offshore. Thus, the platform found itself in neutral waters. After the end of the war, weapons from all the forts were dismantled, the platforms located close to the coast were destroyed. And the Rafs Tower remained abandoned.
In the 60s of the last century, radio pirates began to actively explore the coastal waters of England. Roy Bates, a retired major in the British Army, was one of them. He organized his first radio station, Radio Essex, on a different platform, displacing his colleagues from there. However, in 1965 he was fined for violating the wireless telegraph law and had to find a new location for the radio station.
Together with his friend Ronan O'Rahilly, the Major decided to take over the Rafs Tower and create an amusement park on the platform. However, the friends soon quarreled, and Roy Bates began to independently master the platform. He even had to defend the right to her with a weapon in his hands.
History of creation
The idea for an amusement park failed. But Bates could no longer recreate the radio station, despite the fact that he had everything necessary equipment... The fact is that in 1967 a law came into force that made broadcasting a crime, including from neutral waters. Now, even the location of the platform could not save Bates from persecution from the state.
But what if the waters are no longer neutral? The retired major had a seemingly crazy idea - to proclaim the platform as a separate state. On September 2, 1967, the former military proclaimed the platform an independent state and named it Sealand, and declared himself the ruler of the new country, Prince Roy I Bates. Accordingly, his wife became Princess John I.
Of course, Roy initially studied international law and spoke to lawyers. It turned out that the actions of the major would indeed be difficult to challenge in court. The newly formed state of Sealand had a physical territory, albeit a small one - only 0.004 square kilometers.
At the same time, the construction of the platform was completely legal. A document prohibiting such buildings appeared only in the 80s. And at the same time, the platform was outside the jurisdiction of Britain, and the authorities could not legally dismantle it.
Relations with Great Britain
Three more similar platforms remained in the territorial waters of England. Just in case, the government decided to get rid of them. The platforms were blown up. One of the naval vessels carrying out this mission sailed to Sealand. The ship's crew said that this platform will soon be destroyed. To which the inhabitants of the principality responded with warning shots into the air.
Roy Bates was a British citizen. Therefore, as soon as the major stepped ashore, he was arrested on charges of illegal possession of weapons. A lawsuit has begun against Prince Bates. On September 2, 1968, an Essex judge delivered a historic ruling: he ruled that the case was outside British jurisdiction. This fact became official evidence that the UK has relinquished its rights to the platform.
Coup attempt
In August 1978, a coup d'etat almost took place in the country. Between the ruler of the state, Roy Bates, and his closest aide, Count Alexander Gottfried Achenbach, a conflict arose over the policy of attracting foreign investment to the country. The men accused each other of anti-constitutional intentions.
When the prince went to Austria to negotiate with potential investors, the count decided to seize the platform by force. At that time, only Michael (Michael) I Bates, Roy's son and heir to the throne, was on the territory of Sealand. Achenbach, along with several mercenaries, captured the platform, and the young prince was locked in a windowless cabin for several days. After that, Michael was taken to the Netherlands, from where he was able to escape.
Roy and Michael were soon reunited and were able to regain control of the platform. The mercenaries and Achenbach were captured. What to do with the people who betrayed Sealand? The principality fully complied with the norms of international law. on the rights of prisoners of war, it states that after the cessation of hostilities, all prisoners must be released.
The mercenaries were immediately released. But Achenbach was accused of attempting a coup d'etat under the laws of the principality. He was convicted and removed from all government posts. Since the traitor was a citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany, the German authorities became interested in his fate. Britain refused to intervene in this conflict.
A German official arrived at Sealand to speak with Prince Roy. As a result of the intervention of the German diplomat, Achenbach was released.
Illegal government
What then did Achenbach do after the failed attempt to capture Sealand? The principality was now inaccessible to him. But the former earl continued to insist on his rights and even organized the Sealand government in exile. He also claimed to be the chairman of a certain secret council.
Germany has Achenbach's diplomatic status, and in 1989 he was arrested. The post of head of the illegal government of Sealand was taken by Johannes Seiger, a former minister for economic cooperation.
Expansion of the territory
In 1987 Sealand (principality) expanded its territorial waters. He announced this desire on September 30, and the next day the UK made the same statement. In accordance with international law, the disputed maritime territory is equally divided between the two states.
Since there are no agreements between the countries on this score, and Great Britain did not make any statements, the Sealand government considered the disputed territory divided in accordance with international norms.
This led to an unpleasant incident. In 1990, a British ship unauthorizedly approached the shores of the principality. The inhabitants of Sealand fired several warning shots into the air.
Passports
In 1975, the virtual state began issuing its own passports, including diplomatic ones. But Sealand's good name was tarnished when an illegal government-in-exile engaged in a major global scam. In 1997, Interpol began looking for the origin of the vast amount of false documents allegedly issued in Sealand.
Passports, driving licenses, diplomas higher education and other documents have been sold to Russia, the United States and European countries. According to these documents, people tried to cross the border, open a bank account, buy weapons. The Sealand government cooperated with the investigation. After this incident, absolutely all passports, including those issued absolutely legally, were revoked and abolished.
Constitution, state symbols, form of government
After Great Britain recognized in 1968 that Sealand was outside its jurisdiction, the inhabitants decided that this was the de facto recognition of the country's independence. 7 years later, in 1975, state symbols were developed - the anthem, flag and coat of arms. At the same time, the Constitution was issued, which includes a preamble and 7 articles. New government decisions are formalized in the form of decrees.
The Sealand flag is a combination of three colors - red, black and white. In the upper left corner there is a red triangle, in the lower right corner there is a black triangle. There is a white stripe between them.
The flag and coat of arms are the official symbols of Sealand. The coat of arms of Sealand depicts two lions with fish tails holding a shield in the colors of the flag in their paws. Under the coat of arms there is a motto that reads: "Freedom - from the sea." The anthem of the state, written by the composer Vasily Symonenko, is also called.
By state structure Sealand is a monarchy. There are three ministries in the governing structure - Foreign, Interior and Telecommunications and Technology.
Coins and stamps
Since 1972, Sealand coins have been issued. The first silver coin depicting Princess Joanna was issued in 1972. From 1972 to 1994, several types of coins were issued, mainly made of silver, gold and bronze, on the obverse of which portraits of Joanna and Roy or a dolphin are depicted, and on the reverse - a sailing ship or a coat of arms. The monetary unit of the principality is the Sealand dollar, which is pegged to the US dollar exchange rate.
Between 1969 and 1977, the state issued postage stamps. For some time they were accepted by Belgium post.
Population
The first ruler of Sealand was Prince Roy Bates. In 1990, he transferred all rights to his son and left to live in Spain with the princess. Roy died in 2012, his wife Joanna in 2016. The current ruler is Prince Michael I Bates. He has an heir, James Bates, who is the Prince of Sealand. In 2014, James had a son, Freddie, who is the great-grandson of the first ruler of the principality.
Who lives in Sealand today? The population of the principality at different times ranged from 3 to 27 people. Now about ten people are on the platform every day.
Religion and sport
On the territory of the principality there is also a small chapel named after St. Brendan the navigator on the platform. Sealand does not stand aside from sports achievements. Despite the fact that the population of the principality is not enough to form sports teams, some athletes represent the unrecognized state. There is even a soccer team.
Sealand and the Internet
A simple law applies to the Internet on the territory of the state - everything is allowed except spam, hacker attacks and child pornography. Therefore, Sealand, which started out as a pirate radio station, is still attractive territory for modern pirates. For 8 years, the servers of the HavenCo company were located on the territory of the principality. After the closure of the company, the principality continues to provide server hosting services for various organizations.
Legal status
Unlike other self-proclaimed states, Sealand has a slim chance of gaining recognition. The principality has a physical territory, it was founded before the expansion of the water borders of Britain. The platform was abandoned, which means that its settlement can be considered as colonization. Thus, Roy Bates could really establish a state in a free territory. However, in order for Sealand to receive full rights, it must be recognized by other states.
Sale of Sealand
In 2006, a fire broke out on the platform. The restoration required substantial funds. In 2007, the principality was put up for sale at a price of 750 million euros. The Pirate Bay intended to acquire the platform, but the parties could not agree.
Sealand today
You can not only find out which country is the smallest, but also support the government of the rebellious platform in its quest for independence. Anyone can donate money to the treasury of the principality. In addition, various souvenirs, coins, stamps can be purchased on the official website.
For just € 6, you can create a personal Sealand email address. Order an official ID for 25 euros. For those who have dreamed of a title all their lives, Sealand gives such an opportunity. Quite officially, according to the laws of the principality, anyone who pays 30 euros can become a baron, for 100 euros - a knight of the Sovereign Military Order, and for 200 - a real count or countess.
Today the principality of Sealand is ruled by Michael I Bates. Like his father, he advocates freedom of information, and the bully tower remains the mainstay of modern information pirates.
This is a photograph of a naval fortress located at the Thames estuary off the coast of North Kent. Several of these fortresses, armed with anti-aircraft guns, radar and searchlights, were built during World War II (in 1942) by the British engineer Guy Maunsell to prevent German aircraft from bombing British ports and mining shipping routes. Maunsell designed two types of naval fortresses: NAVY Forts, which were intended for the Royal Navy, and Army Forts, which were intended respectively for the British Army.
Three Army Forts were located at the mouth of the Thames: Nore (U5), Red Sands (U6) and Shivering Sands (U7).
Each fortress was a large military base, consisting of seven steel platforms - "towers" standing in the sea: the tower of the control center and five combat towers located around it (one of which had two automatic 40-mm automatic anti-aircraft guns, and four the rest - one heavy 94-mm anti-aircraft gun) and one searchlight tower, standing somewhat to the side
All the towers were connected by narrow bridges, most of which, in our time, have already collapsed into the sea.
In addition to the three Army Fortresses at the Thames estuary, there were four NAVY Forts: Rough Sands (HM Fort Roughs) (U1), Sunk Head (U2), Tongue Sands (U3) and Knock John (U4).
Such fortresses were concrete structures in the form of pontoon barges on which there were two cylindrical towers. On the tops of these towers were weapon platforms with two automatic 40-mm and two heavy 94-mm anti-aircraft guns mounted on them.
Sea fortresses were laid in dry dock and were completely assembled there. After that, the fortresses were towed through the water to their combat positions, where they were half-flooded and firmly stood at the bottom.
In 1953, one of the Army fortresses, the Nore base (U5), was badly damaged when the Norwegian ship Baalbeck collided with it and destroyed the two towers of the fortress. As a result of the collision, four civilians were killed, the guns were severely damaged in the fortress, radar and other equipment was destroyed.
The ruins of the fortress were considered a hazard to shipping and were dismantled in 1960.
Three years later, also as a result of a collision with a ship, one of the towers of the Shivering Sands base (U7) was lost. In 1964, the Port of London Authority isolated the floodlight tower from the rest of the fortress and placed wind and tide monitoring equipment on it.
In the 1960s, most of the fortresses, which by then had already been decommissioned by the United Kingdom War Office and abandoned, were taken over by pirate radio stations. The legendary "offshore" radio boom of the 60s began in England.
True, the era of pirate radio stations did not last long - after the manager of one of these radio stations was found guilty of the murder of his partner, the British government passed, in 1967, a bill against piracy. Pirate radio stations, one after another, were closed.
But the history of the sea fortresses did not end there. On September 2, 1967, a certain Paddy Roy Bates, a retired British Army colonel, who in 1966 chose Fort Rough Sands (or HM Fort Roughs, literally "hooligan tower") to base his pirate radio station Britain's Better Music Station », Announced the creation of the sovereign Principality of Sealand on the territory of the sea fortress and proclaimed himself Prince Roy I.
In 1968 the British authorities tried to occupy the young state. Patrol boats approached the platform of the naval fortress, and the princely family responded with warning shots into the air.
The case did not come to bloodshed, but a lawsuit was launched against Prince Roy as a British citizen. On September 2, 1968, a judge in the English county of Essex issued a historic ruling: he recognized that the case was outside British jurisdiction - that is, de facto recognized the sovereignty of the Sealand Principality.
Sealand was founded in neutral waters prior to the entry into force of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, prohibiting the construction of man-made structures on the high seas, and before the expansion of the British sovereign sea zone from 3 to 12 miles in 1987. Based on the fact that the Rafs Tower platform , on which Sealand is located, was abandoned and deleted from the lists of the British Admiralty, its occupation is considered as colonization. The settlers who settled on it believe that they had every right to establish a state and establish a form of government at their own discretion.
Only five people live in the Sealand Principality (by the link - video), but it meets all the criteria of statehood specified in the Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States. Sealand is a constitutional monarchy headed by Prince Roy I Bates and Princess Joanna I Bates, although Crown Prince Michael I has exercised direct power in the principality since 1999.
The principality has its own constitution, flag and coat of arms; in Sealand they mint their own coin - the Selendian dollar and issue stamps. The smallest state in the world even has its own national football team.
The Principality of Sealand went down in history as the world's first state burned to the ground - on June 23, 2006 due to short circuit a serious fire started in the generator, which was extinguished thanks to the help provided by the UK. Restoring an artificial island requires big money and the Selendian monarch, who has 40 years of life connected with the island, decided that it was time to part with it. The state is up for sale with a starting price of £ 65 million.
In an attempt to circumvent international copyright laws, The Pirate Bay, the world's largest BitTorrent tracker, has over three million registered users who download pirated software, music, films and other protected material for free. copyright, a couple of years ago began a campaign to raise funds for the purchase of the State of Sealand. "Help us and you will become a citizen of Sealand!" - say the pirates.
28.08.2015 - 17:58
What do women usually get for their birthday? Flowers, jewelry, perfume. The Englishman Roy Bates gave his beloved wife Joan a principality on September 2, 1967. And even if it was very small, just tiny - 10x15 meters, but real, without a fake. What woman would refuse such a gift? So, on September 2, 1967, Joan Bates became a princess, and less than 10 miles off the coast of Great Britain, the smallest state in the world, the Principality of Sealand, appeared. Like every state, in the history of Sealand there have been power struggles between representatives of different clans, and wars, and coups d'état.
"Hooligan Tower"
In 1942, Great Britain, in order to protect its territory from air raids by the Luftwaffe, built a network of platforms on the high seas near its shores and installed anti-aircraft guns on them.
The garrison of each such fort numbered from 250 to 300 people and could well live and serve on the platform for a long time in full autonomy.
At the end of World War II, the garrisons were evacuated, the platforms were abandoned. Some of them were destroyed, some are still in the sea.
One of these platforms, called "Roughs Tower" (Hooligan Tower), was destined to justify its name with a stunning trick: for 48 years it has been proudly referred to as "the independent sovereign principality of Sealand".
Restless retired Major Roy Bates
In 1966, the Roughs Tower, standing alone in the sea, attracted the attention of retired Major of the British Armed Forces, Paddy Roy Bates. The biography of this man deserves a separate story. Events and adventures in his life would be enough for ten.
Roy Bates began his military service as a 15-year-old fighter in the International Brigade in Spain and graduated with the rank of Major in the British Army. Peaceful life haunted the retired officer. His restless nature constantly craved new adventures, which were abound in his life and after the war. In 1965, the restless Roy Bates became a radio pirate.
In the 60s, Europe was covered by a wave of private radio stations. Many of them broadcast on the air without a license, for which they were called "pirate". In an effort to get away from police officers pursuing them, radio pirates often broadcast from ships on the high seas. Two such radio hooligans, Roy Bates and Ronan O'Reilly in 1966, had their eye on the Roughs Tower in the middle of the sea. It is not known which cat ran between them, but friends became enemies, and soon Roy Bates was already the sole owner of the platform.
First war in Sealand history
In the summer of 1967, Roughs Tower survived its first military invasion attempt. Ronan O'Reilly, who tasted the fruits of independent existence at Roughs Tower, attempted to seize the platform by force. However, Bates proved that it was not in vain that he once wore the shoulder straps of a military and managed to repel the attack.
How many people participated in that scuffle is unknown, but both Roy and Ronan did not fight alone. The fight was long and hot. The first, but not the last, military conflict in the history of the island used rifles, shotguns, Molotov cocktails and even flamethrowers. The attack was repulsed, the aggressors went back to the mainland to lick their wounds.
After repelling the attack, Roy began to strengthen the status of his territory. On September 2, 1967, on the birthday of his wife Joan, he declared the Roughs Tower platform an independent principality, himself a prince, and his beloved wife a princess. Appreciating the gift, John I Bates, along with her children, moved to her principality, and the whole family began to equip the young state.
In 1968, the "Hooligan Tower", already in the status of the Sealand Principality, survived a second attempt at an armed occupation. This time Great Britain acted as the aggressor. The officer of the coast guard patrol boat that approached demanded that the platform be released, to which Prince Roy I Bates proudly replied that the people of Sealand (in the amount of 5 people) value their freedom and are ready to fight for it with arms in hand.
His words, under the approving cries of the people supporting their sovereign, the prince reinforced with several shots into the air. The officer decided not to get involved with armed idiots and left home. He was followed by the enthusiastic cries of the Silendians, who defended the honor and independence of their state.
How a British court "recognized" Sealand's independence
Here the British Themis remembered that Roy Bates is a British citizen, and opened a criminal case against him on the fact of illegal possession and use of firearms. But the judge of the city of Essex, who was considering the case, only threw up his hands: "Roughs Tower" is located outside the 3-mile coastal zone of the United Kingdom, and therefore everything that happens on it does not fall under the jurisdiction of British justice.
No wonder, oh no wonder, of all the towers standing in the sea, Roy once chose Roughs Tower! The decision of the Essex court became fateful in the life of the young state: Great Britain officially recognized Sealand as free from its control.
Justified by the British court, Roy Bates with renewed vigor took up the further construction of his principality. The flag, anthem, coat of arms, constitution and the first state decrees of the monarch appeared.
In 1972, Sealand began minting the Sealand dollar, which is currently the only legal tender in the principality. The formed government established the issue of postage stamps and began to issue passports to its citizens.
Failed coup attempt
After repelling two attempts at military incursion into his territory, Sealand survived the coup in August 1978. The Prime Minister of the country, Count Alexander Gottfried Achenbach, taking advantage of the absence of Roy I Bates, landed on the island with a group of Dutch mercenaries, captured Crown Prince Michael, took him out of the country and declared himself ruler of Sealand.
The young prince managed to escape and soon met his father. Roy I reaffirmed his talent as a military strategist by organizing a military operation, during which the island was recaptured and the invaders were captured.
In accordance with the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the mercenaries were released. The organizer of the coup, Alexander Achenbach, was stripped of all posts, titles, and titles and was brought before the Sealand court, accused of high treason.
The ex-count was saved from the inevitable death sentence by the fact that he had German citizenship. The FRG stood up for the putschist. The British Foreign Office, where the staff of the German embassy addressed, concerned about the fate of their citizen, prudently refused to interfere in this matter, referring to the decision of the Essex court in 1968, and advised to settle the issue directly with the Sealand authorities.
Going to meet the requests of an employee of the German embassy who arrived on the island, Prince Sealand Roy I Bates pardoned the state criminal and freed him, forever expelling him from the country. The failed prince and his supporters organized the Sealand government in exile and are still fighting for power.
Sealand lives and thrives
This whole story of the self-proclaimed micro-state has long gone beyond the limits of fun. From the point of view of specialists of international law, the independent state of Sealand has every legal basis to be recognized. The small size of Sealand can in no way be an obstacle to its legitimization.
The actions of Bates and his supporters in terms of state-building are simply amazing. Sealand has all the attributes of statehood: a flag, anthem, coat of arms, constitution, currency, its own international dialing code, ISO code and Internet domain.
The principality in the bud suppresses the slightest attempts to encroach on its sovereignty, so in 1990 a warning salvo was fired towards a British ship that violated the territorial waters of Sealand. Sealand has his own football team. In 2008, the island's team won the World Egg Throwing Championship. At one time, the Sealand stamps were recognized by the Belgian post.
Using unrecognized Sealand passports, they manage to cross borders, make purchase and sale transactions, obtain a driver's license, and open bank accounts. (True, after Interpol "covered" the international cartel selling fake Sealand identity cards in 1997, the authorities of the principality canceled the passports)
The minting of their own coins is carried out (Sealand dollars are highly valued among numismatists), goods with the Sealand emblem are sold, anyone can (quite inexpensively!) Become a count or baron of an independent principality. The Sealand Church of England was founded in 2006. The government plans to open and establish a tourism business.
On October 9, 2012, at the age of 90, the founder and first ruler of the Sealand Principality, Roy I Bates, died. His son Michael I Bates took over the reins. The king is dead - long live the king!
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