The Twelve Nations

Twelve Nations Federation
First appearance:	"The Meeting of Mandrake and Lothar"
Created by:	Lee Falk

The Twelve Nations Federation is Lothar's homeland. It is an African country, located in central Africa. The capital is Lotharton.

The country has emerged as a federation of several different nations, first known as the "Riombi Federation". The federation have been in periods somewhat unstable, and on some occasions have been named "Seven Nations". The individual nation appears to be autonomous, ruled by a King or a Chieftain. Previously, it was automatic that the ruler of the greatest nation also had the role as King of the federation.

According to the newspaper strip

In the daily story "Mandrake in North Africa" it appears that Lothar was born Prince of the Wambesi, the biggest tribe in central Africa. Lothar's father was probably Oogubay, the now deceased great king of Wambesi. During a visit to his old homeland Lothar discovered that there was a power struggle to take over the role as new king and Lothar led the Wambesi warriors against Besa (, the sorcerer). After defeating Besa, Lothar became crowned king of the great Wambesi tribes. But after only a short period as king he appointed an older unnamed man as king and said he abdicated and then left the country.

In the Sunday story "The Singing Devils" Lothar visits his old country again, this time aboard S.S.Argus sailing up a tropical river that empties into the desert kingdom of Sandan. It is said that Lothar's father ruled a village of the Riombi Federation as a great chieftan. Prince Lothar is the son and heir of the dead king.

In the daily story "Queen Ebony" Mandrake said that Lothar is chief of a great federation of tribes. To get to Lothar's homeland, Mandrake, Lothar and Narda take a flight to Rhodesia and then head into the jungle. When they arrive at Rhodar, the capital of the kingdom, Lothar refers to himself as King Lothar. They discover that in Lothar's absence chief Zark of the Zarba village has enslaved and terrified the inhabitants of the federation.

In the daily story "The Impostor" trader Sam discovered that all the villages in an area of the jungle had a statue of King Lothar. When he asked, he was told that even though Lothar lived far away in America, he was their king. After a short time Mandrake and Lothar could read articles from Nargda about riots against King Lothar of the Federated Tribes and his tax gathering. They decide to investigate and take a flight to central Africa. From the airport, they drive into the jungle and pass the border to Lothar's homeland. Using a tribal rule Lothar challenge the imposter to personal combat for the throne and regained his throne. In the following daily story "The Jungle Witch" Lothar appointed an unnamed person (the witch doctor ?) to be temporary king while he left the village to assist Mandrake out of a predicament. But Lothar did not return to the village before in the Sunday story "Witchmen's Peak" when Mandrake and King Lothar of the Federated Tribes ended the witchmens evil grip on the jungle. This time, Mandrake and Lothar arrive in Lothar's homeland on a riverboat which they boarded near an unnamed airport somewhere in Africa.

In the Sunday story "The Meeting of Mandrake and Lothar" it is said that even if Lothar after the brief period as King of the Twelve Nations gave up the throne, the people and rulers of the nationes in the federation never accept that. Once a year the chiefs of the Twelve Nations they sought out Lothar, to persuade him to return as their king. In this story they say that they are now building a new nation and that they want Lothar to return as their first president. After thinking about it, Lothar first accepts the offer to become the country's first president, but then changes his mind and declines.

In the two Phantom stories, the daily "Phantom Wedding" and the Sunday "The Wedding of the Phantom", old man Mozz introduces Lothar and Mandrake as: Prince Lothar of the Seven Nations and friend.

In the daily story "Mandrake's Gangster Gallery" Mandrake tells that Karma is Lothar's third cousin, daughter of President Ngonomu of Federated Nations. He also tells that Lothar was Prince of the Federated Nations and that he quit.

In the daily story "The Cruise Ship Mystery" where someone thinks Lothar is a servant, Mandrake tells that Lothar is Prince Lothar of the Federated Nations.

In the Sunday story "Revolution in Lotharton" Mandrake tells a bit about Lothar's background. Lothar was born Prince of the largest tribe in Africa and they meet when Mandrake did some touring among ancient ruins in Lotharton kingdom. After Lothar's father, Lothar 9, died, the kingdom was ruled by the late king's brother. Lothar was crowned king on his 21st birthday but he said he quit and left his homeland. When Lothar hears the news that there is a revolution going on in Lotharion, and sees his own name on the protesters' posters, he calls the prime minister in Lotharion. He tells Lothar that he did not quit legally as King of the Twelve Nations, so he was still the king. The Prime Minister further says that an election will be held and that his party has nominated Lothar as their presidential candidate. Lothar was elected and to prevent his opponent, Otanko of Otana, from taking power to reverse the democracy back to an autocratic monarchy, Lothar agreed to be the first elected president of the Twelve Nations. When he arrived in his homeland he ran into a problem. Townspeople accepted a democratic election but in the deep jungle leaders won by inheritance or in battle. He solved the problem by challenging Otanko to a fist fight on the great field of the Lotaro mountain. After winnin the battle Lothar served as the first President of the Twelwe Nations for a year before he resigned. Monar, Lothar's cousin, had served as the vice president and became the second President of the Twelwe Nations.

A few years later, in the Phantom Sunday story "Trouble in the Twelve Nations", Monar is presidential candidate on his own in the second election in the Twelve Nations. Lothar returns to his homeland to help Monar in the election and to guard his cousin's life.

Notable appearances

Year	Daily/Sunday	Title	Comments
1939	Daily	"Mandrake in North Africa"	King of Wambesi
1946	Sunday	"The Singing Devils"	Prince of the Riombi federation
1948	Daily	"Queen Ebony"	King of a great federation
1952	Daily	"The Impostor"	King of the great tribal federation
1952	Daily	"The Jungle Witch"	King of the great tribal federation
1956	Sunday	"Witchmen's Peak"
1967	Sunday	"The Meeting of Mandrake and Lothar"	King of the Twelve Nations
1977	Phantom Daily	"Phantom Wedding"	Prince of the Seven Nations
1977	Phantom Sunday	"The Wedding of the Phantom"	Prince of the Seven Nations
1979	Daily	"Mandrake's Gangster Gallery"	Karma is Lothar's third cousin, daughter of President Ngonomu of Federated Nations
1983	Daily	"The Cruise Ship Mystery"	Prince of the Federated Nations
1995	Sunday	"Revolution in Lotharton"	King of the Twelve Nations Federation
1997	Sunday	"Mandrake Marries Narda"	King of the Seven Nations
2003	Daily	"Lights! Camera! Danger!"	Walumba River, flows through the 12 Nations
2015	Phantom Sunday	"Trouble in the Twelve Nations"	King of the Twelve Nations