Audun Holmgavtsson

Portrait of Audun (98;2E)

**Audun Holmgavtsson** (New Earth 15, 44;2E/July 15, 1112 - Old Star 20, 104;2E/May 20, 1172) was an Southambian politician, activist, union leader, and militant who currently serves as the Chairman of the Confederation Agreement, and it's governing Confederal Diet. Before serving in the Government of the Confederation, he was an activist for Eastern Equality, and Eastern Rights. He was also a religious preacher for the Conservative Loyalists during the First Southambian Civil War, and was previously a protégé of a significant member of the Manburism Church.

## Background

### Early Life

Audun was born in Stapton on New Earth 15, 44;2E to a rural farming family. In his youth, he frequently attended several rituals of the Manburism Church. He ventured several times to Tabrad for the largest annual ceremony of the Church in his youth as well, and was a devout follower of the Church. He studied theology in his free-time, and was seen as a prodigy of the church. He was also a protégé of one of the highest-ranking members of the Church as well.

### Early Loyalism Activities

However, following his increasing interests in Southambian politics, he was laid off as a protégé for violating it's Moral Code, which included the abstinence from politics. Following this, he attended Loyalist rallies, and even joined a Loyalist Militia years before the First Southambian Civil War. He left the militia 1 year before the start of the Southambian Civil War, and when the war kicked off, he was invited as a religious speaker, and member of the largest Loyalist Militia, which was stationed in Holney.

### Post-Civil War

Following the Civil War, Audun retired from the public sphere, and resided in Stapton. He continued to farm, and even helped poorer farming families who did not receive stimuli for free. Audun organized a community-ran farm, and was seen as an Economic Socialist for the distribution of his own wealth, and the community's farm's food. Audun was described by many in his hometown as a "Selfless, and Empathetic Individual who would never betray his own community".

### Early Eastern Advocacy and Demonstrations

Audun advocated for the equal treatment of the Eastern Provinces in the Civil War Stimulus packages, where the Eastern Provinces were punished for their allegiance with the Conservative Loyalists. The mistreatment became extremely prevalent when the Southambian Army was reported to be rebuilding infrastructure, and handing out rations on Hinwaria, and Hinneth for free. The outbreak of this news led to both peaceful and violent demonstrations in the Eastern Province's and Tabrad calling for the equal treatment of the Eastern Provinces. Many of the demonstrators were seen holding signs saying "Les Luari sont mauvais." ("The Luari are evil."), and "Les Luari se considèrent supérieurs." ("The Luari consider themselves superior."). Audun played a massive part in several of the peaceful demonstrations in Stapton, and even organized several demonstrations. Audun described the news as "A betrayal of the East, and a call for self-governance, and sovereignty from Statism.".

### Late Eastern Advocacy and Demonstrations

In the second term of Leonard Godsforth, the final Stimulus package was pushed. Similarly to the first Stimulus package, the Eastern provinces were punished for their allegiance with the Conservative Loyalists in the First Southambian Civil War. Though attempts were made by Godsforth to include equal treatment for the East, he was pressured to exclude equal treatment by his governing Coalition. This led to more frequent demonstrations, and the spread of Eastern Independence groups advocating for total separation from Southambia. Loyalist group, The Answer, was against the idea of Eastern Independence and attended several demonstrations as counter-protesters attacking the demonstrators advocating for Eastern Equality, or Eastern Independence. Audun was one of several attacked by The Answer during these demonstrations, and was received minor injuries. These encounters cemented the idea of Eastern Independence in Audun who thought that neither the Progressive Socialists, or the Conservative Capitalists could support them in their quest for Equality. Audun was elected as a Union Representative for Stapton during the demonstrations, and was one of the founding members of the Sovereignty Movement, and the Confederation Agreement.

## Militancy

### Civil War Loyalist Groups

*See Also: Conservative Loyalists*

Audun was apart of a major Loyalist militia where he served as a Preacher for the militia. He previously served in a Loyalist Group and had left a year before the start of the First Southambian Civil War. During his time in the Civil War, he met with then-Militia Commander Zacharias Richmond on several occasions. During the 7 Day Coup, he was in the outskirts of Tabrad, where the rest of the Militia was located.

### Confederation Agreement

*Main Article: Confederation Agreement*

Audun was one of the major contributors to the formation of the Confederation Agreement. He was one of several non-state envoys to the signing of the Agreement, and was himself a signatory to the Agreement. Audun announced his support for the establishment of an Agreement in several protests against the Southambian Government.

#### Leader of the Sovereignty Movement

Before the establishment of the Confederation Agreement, Audun was apart of the Sovereignty Movement, which at the time was an activist group. Following the establishment of the Agreement, and the 1st Confederal Diet election, there were 2 groups in the Diet. Audun led the Sovereignty Movement, and Grimolf Bjorgulfsson led the Resolution Movement.

#### Takeover of the Agreement

Audun was one of the 12 members elected to the 1st Confederal Diet before the outbreak of war. Grimolf was elected as the Chair of the Diet, but would soon lose his position around the time of the 96;2E Southambian Magistracy Election to Audun following a seizure of power. Following the coup, Audun dissolved the diet, and established a Interim Diet fully loyal to the Sovereignty Movement.

#### Prohibition of Opposition

Audun's coup led to the dissolution of the elected 1st Confederal Diet, and the ban and prohibition of the Resolution Movement. Audun didn't want the public to support Southambian Unionism, as he thought that Southambia was incapable of granting the Eastern Provinces autonomy, and equality. However, the ban of the Resolution Movement has resulted in several minor protests against the ban, and calls for the removal, or resignation of Audun.

#### Declaration of Independence

Audun declared the Confederation's independence from Southambia in endings 96;2E. This was mistaken by several government officials and soldiers through mistranslation and miscommunications as a declaration of war against the Southambian government.

#### 2nd Southambian Civil War

*See Also: Second Southambian Civil War*

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## Late Life

### Evasion from Southambia

Sometime prior to the end of the Second Southambian Civil War, Audun fleed from the Confederation Agreement and went into hiding. During this time period, he carefully traversed throughout the nation and through the colonies until he reached a port village of Kirmouthia. However, because of well-kept Kirmouthian records, his false identity did not work. He would eventually be captured by Southambian forces on New Star 22, 104;2E.

### Capture by Southambia

Audun was captured by Southambian forces on New Star 22, 104;2E, 5 years, 9 months, and 15 days after the end of the Second Southambian Civil War. His capture is remarked by a notable and almost successful escape from Southambian forces. After his capture, he was taken into custody and sent away to the City of Tabrad. After a week of being in Tabrad, his trial would officially begin.

### Trial in Southambia

*Main Article: Trial of Audun Holmgavtsson*

Audun was charged with two counts of Treason, ten counts of Incitement of Rebellion, seventy counts of First-Degree Murder, and hundreds of other lesser charges. The trial would last a month from Aging Star 13 to Aged Star 15, 104;2E. Audun would receive the death penalty from the trial.

### Execution

*Main Article: Execution of Audun Holmgavtsson*

Audun Holmgavtsson was executed on Old Star 20, 104;2E, 35 days after the end of his trial. Audun was executed on the steps of the National Capitol in front a crowd of 20,000 people.

## Political Positions

### Eastern Sovereignty

Audun's views for Eastern Sovereignty were cemented following several attacks by The Answer on Eastern equal stimuli demonstrators. Following the attacks, he grew disdain of both the Progressive Socialists of the National Union Coalition, and the Conservative Capitalists of the PND/PDP, whom he saw as parties that weren't representative of the Eastern Provinces, and whose platforms did not support of the idea of Eastern Equality.

### Stotfordians

Despite the racical supremacy views of Stotford and the Social Solidarity Ordinance Party, Audun grew close with Ottfried Vasary, and his cabinet, who supported Audun and the Eastern Provinces in their quest for Eastern Equality. However, Vasary did not support Eastern Sovereignty as doing so would violate the deal made between Vasary and Zacharias Richmond, and would ultimately resume the Civil War.

Audun's interactions with Vasary, and the SSOP led to his embracing of Stotfordian culture. He considered the Stotfordians as the true equals to the Norse, and not the Luari. Vasary secretly believed that the Norse were indeed the true equals to Stotfordians as well, and even began to call Audun the "Íso metaxý ton Ilithíon." ("Equal among the Idiots.").

Following the outbreak of the Second Southambian Civil War, Audun and Vasary maintained secret communications, though public relations soured immensely. Though Vasary supported Eastern Independence, he knew that going against the Southambian Government would result in the deposition of the Vasarite government, the ban of the SSOP, and the arrest of it's members.

### State of Religion

Audun supported the establishment of a Theocratic state wherein the attendance of religious ceremonies was to be mandatory. However, following the outbreak of the Eastern demonstrations, Audun supports the separation of the Eastern Manburism Church from the Central Manburism Church located in Tabrad.