Ardant du Picq
Ardant du Picq (born 25 November 1965) is a Lech politican, diplomat and museum director who has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2023.
The Hon. Ardant du Picq MB | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Foreign Affairs (Lech) | |
| Assumed office 18 March 2023 | |
| Chancellor | Brody von Bismarck |
| Preceding | Michael Seratov |
| Member of Bundestag | |
| In office 21 January 2023 – 29 May 2023 | |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs (Aquitaine) | |
| In office 31 December 2020 – 17 April 2021 | |
| Prime Minister | Edward Smith |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ардант Ду Пикк 25 November 1965 Königsberg |
| Political party | Social Unity Party |
| Alma mater | University of Königsberg, Imperial College Cracow |
| Occupation | Diplomat, museum director |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | Lech Navy |
| Years of service | 2020-2020, 2022-2022 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Unit | Expeditionary Forces Squadron |
| Commands | Naval Special Forces Command, Flotilla 1, LNS Maximilian |
Early life and education
Du Picq was born 25 November 1965 in Königsberg to a family of French bankers. Du Picq's family emigrated to Königsberg from a small village to the east, where he and his family would visit in the summer as a child. Since the age of 12, he worked in the small bank that his parents ran where Du Picq ran into many important political figures of the city.
He entered the University of Königsberg in 1983 to pursue a degree in economics, gaining his BA in 1986. Unhappy with the direction of his career as dictated by his family, Du Picq completed his MA in art history in the following year and subsequently relocated to the port city of Gdansk to pursue primary research for his thesis in the subject. By the time he had settled in Gdansk, Du Picq's financial hardships as a young man abroad forced him to look for work whilst he completes his studies. In 1988, Du Picq was employed as a part-time journalist and critic on art and opera for the Gdansk Gazette. A staunch critic of the government's suppression on free art, he became a divisive figure within his field. He lost his job after four months, which Du Picq claims was a political decision.
To escape political persecution, he emigrated to the Kingdom of Lech. In early 2020, Du Picq enrolled at Imperial College Cracow, in order to join the Lech Navy. During his tenure, Du Picq reached the rank of Admiral and Commander of Flotilla 1, after being the Commanding Officer of the LNS Maximilian, a corvette and former flagship. Naval doctrine penned by Du Picq is still used today. This service in the military allowed Du Picq much more financial freedom, and subsequently moved to the newly-established nation of Aquitaine a few months after his retirement.
Civil service in Aquitaine
Initially the Aquitiane Ambassador to the then-Kingdom of Lech, Du Picq was quickly promoted to Minister of Foreign Affairs on 31 December, 2020. Many challenges were presented to Aquitaine in terms of foreign policy, such as gaining respect and recognition on the international scale. He successfully negociated the relaxation of Vindex Nation's travel ban on Aquitaine citizens, as well as established the first diplomatic relations with Lech and Wilden. Along with Ambassador to Lech Laurent Piers, the Aquitaine Ministry of Foreign Affairs designed multiple buildings with the intention of the construction of them in their respective countries as embassies, but they never broke ground. Du Picq resigned on 17 April 2021, after losing interest in his job.
Additionally, Du Picq was the lead architect in a government infrastructure project. After a complete design of Aquitaine, the government was unable to source contractors to construct the Parisian city.
Travels and career in Imperial Lech
Du Picq's resignation from the government of Aquitaine allowed him to travel the world, experiencing different foods and cultures. An acclaimed chef, Du Picq opened his first restaurant 'the SAPPORO' (stylised with capital letters) on ... in Addersfield, Vindex Nation. His vision was to 'expose the Vinish populous to fresh and diverse Japanese food in a luxury setting'. The restaurant launched a smaller, more casual location in Seawall, named 'IZAKAYA by the SAPPORO', which serves similar food in an izakaya setting.
He re-enlisted into the Lech Navy on a more casual part-time basis, with his rank of Admiral reinstated. Du Picq was the Commander of Naval Special Force Command during this time. During his second tenure, Du Picq oversaw Operation Hades, a surveillance operation monitoring the potential threats posed by private military companies. It was at this time that Du Picq joined the Social Unity Party, after their ban was lifted by Emperor Edward I.
Ministerial and parliamentary career
Du Picq was elected to the Bundestag as a representative for the Social Unity Party (SUP) in January 2023, where the party retained its majority. Though able to keep his position in the Navy and continue as a Member of the Bundestag, he chose to retire in order to solely focus on his parliamentary career. Following the March elections, Du Picq was appointed to Minister of Foreign Affairs as part of the new coallition government of the SUP, Maltese National Party and Lech Weltpolitik Party.
Du Picq's career as Minister of Foreign Affairs had turbulent beginnings. The outbreak of military conflicts between the Empire of Lech and Vindex Nation in March 2023 saw the attack on the Embassy of Lech in Vindex City. At the time of attack, the Chancellor, Du Picq and other cabinet members were inside. During the conflict, he had been granted a diplomatic passport to freely travel, but was repeatedly apprehended by law enforcement. Following the end of hostilities, he negociated the relaxation of Executive Order No. 6, whereby Lech citizens were outright banned from entering Vindex Nation as well as the subsequent treaty, as brokered by himself as the Chair of the United Nations Council along with Wilden foreign secretary Sir Michael Asta.
During his tenure, the original Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Downtown Kingsland was completely redesigned, featuring a courtyard and press room. Du Picq lost his seat in the Bundestag after constitutional reforms by Edward I, who converted the Empire of Lech back to an absolute monarchy. This meant that parliament became unicameral with the upper-house Bundesherren, and the Bundestag was subsequently dissolved.
Lech National Museum
After completing his thesis in the history of art in Lech, Du Picq has been a private collector of items with historial relevance and interest. In March 2023, he established the Lech National Museum, with the vision of constructing and opening a public museum showcasing and preserving the history of the Empire of Lech, and its colonies. Mostly reliant on donations and purchases, Du Picq personally travelled with the Special Antiquities Collection Division on their expedition in finding the Sankara Stones, now in the museum's collection. The museum is slated to open for July 2023.
The museum houses a number of rooms, including a history of sport in Lech and a large Aquitaine collection. The largest room is the library, named the National Museum Reading Room, which houses the museum's collection of books and other historically important documents.
Publications
Du Picq is a prolific writer.
Books
- 2022 SAPPORO Cookbook
- 2023 The Sankara Voyage
Articles
- 1988 Du Picq's Collated Criticisms (from the Gdansk Gazette)
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