History
Struggle for independence
In mid-19th century the Green Isle was economically weak and easily troubled by crisis. Between 1846 and 1849 the potato harvest had been completely destroyed and a famine ravaged the land, leading to mass immigrations of Irish to the United States. Gradually, voices grew louder in Great Britain, calling for an independence of Ireland from the British Crown. The Liberal Prime Minister William E. Gladstone initiated the separation of the island from the Anglican church in 1869 and a land reform in 1870. He failed in his attempts of pushing through a Home Rule for Ireland, however, and the political resistance in Ireland kept growing. The Home Rule League and the Irish Land League fought for autonomy as a first step towards independence. In 1914 self government was supposed to commence, but it was delayed with the outbreak of the Weltkrieg. The disappointment about this delay culminated - supported by German intelligence - in the suppression of the Easter Uprising in 1916. Continued unrests further delayed the way to independence, but in 1921 a peace treaty was finally signed between the Irish rebels and the British government. According to this treaty, all of Ireland was ceded to the rebels, the new country to be established was named the "Irish Free State", it would remain part of the British Empire, and the King would be the Head of State. After the signing of the treaty in December by Collins, Griffith and the rest of the treaty delegation, the Free State was established on January 1 1922. Michael Collins became Taoiseach and leader of the Irish Free State, but he was already planning the final blow to end British influence on Ireland.
Kingdom of Ireland
Encouraged by the German ambassador in Dublin, Franz von Papen, and in recognition of German's help in supplying the Irish Republican Army (IRA), in July Michael Collins officially proclaimed the establishment of the Kingdom of Ireland, calling to Prince Joachim of Prussia to rule the country. The British were outraged, but they were not willing to intervene and start a new war with Germany less than a year after the conclusion of the Weltkrieg and the signing of the Peace with Honour. Prince Joachim, sixth and youngest son of Kaiser Wilhelm II, accepted the offer with enthusiasm, claiming the regnal name of Brian III and announcing his decision to convert to Catholicism. However, his travel to Ireland was constantly postponed, due to German leaders' relunctance to further provocate the British and the fear of a British attack on the Prince. After more than three months of wait, Collins, wanting to conclude a bargain with the anti-German wing of the IRA, got rid of the Germans and abolished the monarchy in Ireland, thus aborting the dreams of Prince Joachim.
Republic of Ireland
On October 24 1922 Collins' government drafted a new constitution and declared the end of the Kingdom of Ireland, and the birth of the Republic of Ireland. When the 1925 British Revolution broke out, Ireland didn't intervene and let the Royal Family escape to Canada. Despite that, the exiled King George V still call himself King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Ireland, Canada and Australasia.
After more than ten years of rule, in 1936 Collins leads the nation without any serious opposition, riding on a wave of unbeatable public support. Officially its President, unofficially Michael Collins has become dictator of the Second Republic.
