House of Woestein

The House of Woestein is the current reigning house of the United Provinces of Mauritia. The house has played a central role in the Lusophone and Brazilian sectors, especially since 2001, when helped the development of the Holy Empire of Réunion until the independence of Mauritia, in 2012. In 2015, after the overthrow of the Badakistani monarchy, succeeded the House of Götzö-Thomaz-Rocha in the throne of Badakistan during the restoration.

Surname usage
Although by tradition members of reigning dynasties seldom use surnames, being known instead by dynastic titles, the family choose to adopt a common surname for micronational purposes, but related to their place of origin and ancestry. Woestein, from a corruption of the Dutch, means "desert", a word used by the analogy to "sertão", reflecting the mixture between the Dutch cultural pattern of the United Provinces of Mauritia and the geographic reference of northeastern Brazil.

Origins
The House of Woestein is considered to founded by Maurice of Nassau, nicknamed The Brazilian and considered the first Stadhouder of the United Provinces of Mauritia, despite he never used the title and the micronation didn't existed at that time. In fact, he ruled governor of Dutch Brazil, Count and Prince of Nassau-Siegen and Grand Master of the Order of Saint John. Much inspired by the claimed founder of the house, who landed at Recife, the port of Pernambuco and the chief stronghold of the Dutch in January 1637. Immediately after his arrival, he gradually extended the Dutch possessions from Sergipe in the south to São Luís de Maranhão in the north. With the assistance of the famous architect, Pieter Post of Haarlem, he transformed Recife by building a new town adorned with public buildings, bridges, channels and gardens in the then Dutch style, later naming the newly reformed town Mauritsstad, after himself and naming the future capital of the United Provinces of Mauritia. By his statesmanlike policy, he brought the colony into a most flourishing condition. His leadership in Brazil inspired two Latin epics from 1647: Caspar Barlaeus' Rerum per octennium in Brasilia et alibi nuper gestarum sub praefectura and Franciscus Plante's Mauritias. He also established representative councils in the colony for local government, and developed Recife's transportation infrastructure. His large schemes and lavish expenditures alarmed the parsimonious directors of the West India Company, and John Maurice, refusing to retain his post unless he were given a free hand, returned to Europe in July 1644. However, leaving behind unrecognized ancestors and a life of ruling by example, the claimed Stadhouders of Mauritia were all elected, sometimes in the same family, in resemblance to what happened in the Holy Roman Empire. The first person with the title of Prince of Woestein that assumed the position of Stadhouder was Lucas I, from 1706 to 1721. Eighteen years later, Prince Lucas III would become the tenth Stadhouder of Mauritia. From 1775 to 1785, another two Princes of Woestein would rule as Stadhouders of Mauritia: Lucas V and Lucas VI. Two years later, the next Woestein on the throne was Gustav II as the nineteenth Stadhouder, reignin until 1796. Only in 1818 and for a year, a Woestein would rule again: the Prince consort of Woestein, Rainier I - or Renato I, in Portuguese. His son, Renato II, would become Stadhouder in 1825 and rule for fourteen years. From 1845 to 1860, two Woestein ruled: John III and his son, Louis II. From 1888 to 1900, another two Princes of Woestein as Stadhouders, Charles II and his son Mathias IV. In 1947, the first woman ascended to the Mauritaanse throne as Stadhouerin Maria I, the daughter of Mathias IV. After her death in 1977, she was suceeded by her widower, Alexander II, that reigned until 1989. Their daugther, Maria II, would be elected in 1996 and reigned until her abdication in 2012, being suceeded by her only son, Lucas VIII. The Woestein-Neuhaus branch was founded when Infante Ricardo, Margrave of Neuhaus, married Cilene d'Albuquerque, member of the Mauritian high nobility. They fathered four children: Jonkheer Leandro, Jonkheer Leonard, Jonkvrouw Haiane and Jonkheer Leo Rodrigo.

Armorial of the House
The gallery below show the coats of arms used by members of the house. Their growing complexity and use of crowns shows how arms are used to reflect the growing political position and royal aspirations of the family.

Lorenburg-Woestein branch

 * [[Image:Simple silver crown.svg|15px]] Stadhouderin Maria II, married to King Luís of Galiza
 * [[Image:Simple gold crown.svg|15px]] Stadhouder Lucas VIII
 * Infante Lucas
 * Infante Lucas, Duke of Frag
 * Infante Bruno

Woestein-Neuhaus line

 * Infante Ricardo, married to Infanta Cilene.
 * Jonkheer Leandro, married to Jonkvrouw Jessica
 * Jonkvrouw Ingrid
 * Jonkvrouw Yara
 * Jonkheer Leonardo
 * Jonkvrouw Haiane
 * Jonkvrouw Alice
 * Jonkheer Leo Rodrigo