| Roger Kane | |
|---|---|
| |
| Roger Kane in 1756 | |
| 1st President of Kania | |
| In office 16 December 1756 – 21 December 1768 | |
| Vice President | Oswald Gilbertson (1756–1764) Alexander North (1764–1768) |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Gregory Fawkes |
| Nth Governor of Kania | |
| In office 4 July 1750 – 16 December 1756 | |
| Preceded by | TBD |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Roger Williams Kane 5 October 1693 Kane Estate, New Bethel, Judah, Kania |
| Died | 10 March 1775 (aged 81) Kane Estate, New Bethel, Judah, Kania |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse(s) | Wilhelmina Welles (m. 1726; died 1770) |
| Children | N/A |
| Alma mater | Oxford University |
| Profession | Minister · Politician |
| Religion | Kanian Alithian Church |
Roger Williams Kane (5 October 1693 – 10 March 1775) was the 1st President of Kania, serving from 1751 to 1768, and the founding father of the nation that bears both his and his ancestors' names. The descendant of the minister who found the Kania, Kane himself was a Alithian minister who followed in the footsteps of his predecessors and entered colonial politics and missionary work. A major abolitionist throughout his life, Kane was deeply appalled by slavery and oppression of black and white individuals, having witnessed such cruel behavior during his ministries in slave states and countries. His experiences as a missionary in such lands was a motivating factor for his desire to push for the independence of Kania and its role as a refuge for freed slaves and refugees from oppressive governments. Ultimately, Kane would succeed in his mission, when he successfully negotiated for the independence of Kania from the United Kingdom in 1756, in the aftermath of the French and Indian War.
Kane began his political career as the colonial governor for Kania in 1750, having been appointed by King TBD on the recommendation of the previous governor, TBD. Having been granted home rule decades earlier under the administration of British prime minister, TBD, Kania had long been governed by those of black Africa and freed slave descent, as it was founded in 1598 on the principles of freedom and liberty for all men regardless of race and religion. Looking to actively and aggressively expand these principles to other regions, Roger Kane in his capacity as colonial governor, made special provision for runaway slaves who could make it to the shores of Kania, offering them free passage aboard the vessels of Kania merchants, and barring their slave owners from visiting the island under penalty of imprisonment for the unlawful enslavement of a fellow man. Though such policies made Kane highly unpopular with the American colonists and their supporters within Kania, the largely pro-abolitionist population of the island agreed with the measures, and denoted generously to the campaign.
As the French and Indian War erupted in TBD, Kane sought to leverage his colony's position as an important transit hub for French and British warships and merchant vessels, by authorizing Kanian traders to seize the vessels of the French and "protecting" those of the British, while allowing passage to those ships that could credibly verify that their cargo was not intended for the war on the North American continent. Kane would also provide Kania's services as a neutral middleman, allowing both sides to unload their cargo in Kanian ports, and have the Kania's move the goods to the mainland free from harm. This ultimately brought great wealth to Kania, and helped to secure it's status as a creditable broker during the conflict. Indeed, by the war's end, Kania was able to dictate its own terms in the Treaty of Paris, with Kane pushing for complete independence from the United Kingdom. Though his demands were outrageous to the British government, Kane had proven a reliable ally in the region, and granting Kania its request would help to relieve British forces and provide a buffer against a potential French incursion.
To be expanded...