King Arend “Aart” of New Holland, 2014The respect fools get, disrespect I get.Arend was well-liked by the council and the military. The civilians didn’t care for his heavy-handedness at all. He had been Ineke’s most trusted advisor and held her as she died. It was rumored that Beatrix was his daughter. “Aart”, as he was called by his friends led an extensive campaign to fortify the already formidable fortresses in the interior with special attention given to Fort Amsterdam in the magnificent city of New Amsterdam. The coastal forts were fitted with new long-range cannons and thicker walls. These particular labors were part of the reason for Arend’s sharp decline in popularity. The other reason was his decision to enforce conscription on all males to join the military and extend the age range from 12 years to 65 years. At his coronation no guards would accompany him because they feared assassination so Aart armed himself to the teeth and put the crown on his own head.