Chapter 20: The Black Gold – 1865–1880
While gold brought quick wealth, oil would bring lasting power. The Northern Coast Shire, once a quiet region of fishing villages, became the industrial heart of the kingdom. The town of Havenstad grew from a few hundred souls to a city of 50,000 in just fifteen years.
The man who built Havenstad was Cornelis de Wit, a young engineer from Rotterdam. He had been hired by RZP in 1860 and had risen quickly through the ranks. By 1870, he was the company's chief executive.
Cornelis was a visionary. He saw that oil was not just a fuel for lamps; it was the foundation of a new industrial age. He built refineries, pipelines, and storage tanks. He negotiated contracts with shipping lines, factories, and navies. He made RZP one of the most profitable companies in the world.
But Cornelis was also a man of principle. He refused to cut corners on safety, even when it cost money. He insisted that workers be paid fairly and treated with dignity. He built schools and hospitals for the refinery workers and their families.
In 1875, a young American named John D. Rockefeller visited Havenstad. He was curious about this state‑owned company that was competing with his own Standard Oil.
Rockefeller met Cornelis in the RZP headquarters, a modest building overlooking the harbour. "Mr. de Wit, you have built an impressive operation. But you are limited by state ownership. Imagine what you could do with private capital."
Cornelis shook his head. "I have no interest in private capital. I answer to the queen and the people of Zeelandia, not to shareholders."
Rockefeller smiled. "Then you will never be as rich as you could be."
"Perhaps," Cornelis replied. "But I will sleep better at night."
The rivalry between RZP and the foreign oil companies would continue for decades. But in the 1870s, Zeelandia was still a small player on the global stage. That would change.
In 1880, a geological survey revealed that the oil fields extended far beyond the Northern Coast. The Central Plain, the Eastern Highlands, even the Southern Isles—all sat atop vast reserves of petroleum. Zeelandia was not just a minor producer; it was a superpower in waiting.
Isabella received the news in Koningstad. She was an old woman now, her hair white, her hands trembling. But her eyes were still sharp.
"We have been given a gift," she said to her grandson, Willem IV. "Use it wisely."
Willem bowed. "I will, Grandmother."
She died the following year, at the age of eighty‑five. Her funeral was the largest in the kingdom's history. Tens of thousands lined the streets of Koningstad as the coffin was carried to the royal vault.
The Iron Queen was gone. But the nation she had forged would endure.