Wilhelm Lancelle

Wilhelm Lancelle (Born May 17, 1849) is the current Minister Marshal and Barrister, and a former Cavalryman Minister of Justice. Lancelle is best known for his service during Philippine Revolution and his term within 4th Imperial Assembly where he introduced legislation to establish the modern Judicial branch of the Philippine Government.
== Early Life ==
Lancelle was born in Nundah, Stanley County, Queensland to a German immigrant family. He was the only child of his parents Conrad Lancelle and Katerina Engels, who migrated to Queensland in 1848 to escape conscription for the First Schleswig War. His father was a low ranking Prussian Bureaucrat while his mother was a Nurse.
Lancelle left Nundah to attend the University of Melbourne in 1864 to pursue his interest in the legal profession. He obtained his LL.B in 1868 and intended to return to Queensland in order to practice law in Brisbane.
== Military & Political Career ==
=== Philippine Revolution ===
During his studies at the University of Melbourne, Lancelle had learnt of the underground revolutionary movement in the Philippines through a mutual colleague, who invited him to learn Spanish during his Law studies in order to prepare him for a position in the new Philippine government. Seeing an opportunity to make a name for himself and to provide his services, he left for the Philippines after finishing his degree in 1868. 
Lancelle fought as a cavalryman during the Revolution, eventually reaching the rank of Kawal and earning himself several distinctions. His unit also assisted in the occupation of Sulu, before being honourably discharged in 1872. 
=== Political Career ===
After the Revolution Lancelle established himself as a Barrister in the capital, where he practiced for several years. During this time he met and interacted with the Empire's most influential, including politicians, statesmen and officers, where he gained the support to run in the Imperial Assembly. In 1876 he ran and successfully was elected as an Assemblyman where he represented the Capital Region and was appointed as the Minister for Justice.
In his position as Minister for Justice, Lancelle oversaw the complete re-establishment of the Judicial system within the Philippines. Based on his common law education, he established the new Courts system including a criminal code inspired by his colleague in Queensland, Samuel Griffith.
With the vacancy of the office of the Minister Marshal in June 1876, Lancelle was a frontrunner in the election for a new Minister Marshal, but lost by 2 votes. He did not run for a second term.
Returning to his career as a Barrister for a year, he was then approached by the Makabayang Sosyalista party to run as a member and as their candidate for Minister Marshal in 1878. He won his race in the Western Visayas and was elected by the Imperial Assembly to become the 15th Minister Marshal after he orchestrated a coalition government with the Nagkakaisang Manggagawang party.
Category:Characters