1. Basic Overview
A. Background
The Empire of Kordotha is a dual monarchy, the dominion of which includes the Kingdom of Aleghane and the Dominate of Eusebius. The Kingdom and the Dominate were unified after centuries of war by Kassus the Great, who was crowned King of Aleghane and named Regent of Eusebius, and jointly named Emperor of the newly formed dominion of Kordotha. Kassus did not conquer either the Kingdom or the Dominate. Their lands destroyed by war, the population starving and desperate for peace, the rulers of the ancient Kingdom and Dominate proposed, in the Winter Year (so named for the exceptionally hostile weather and attendant famine and death), to commence negotiations at once for the cessation of hostilities. The Boyar Council, the governing oligarchy of Aleghane, consisting of the most powerful feudal and guild lords of the land, and the Senate of Eusebius, with its Praetor, met on neutral ground to discuss a way to establish a meaningful peace. Kassus was a hereditary burgher in the Senate of Eusebius and as such held considerable power and influence. He proposed establishing a common sovereign for both the Kingdom and the Dominate, to be given absolute authority to create and maintain peace in both the Kingdom and the Dominate. The two independent states would be subordinated to one Dual Monarchy, while retaining some independence in the governance of internal affairs insofar as such governance did not intervene with the mandate of the common sovereign. The sovereign would coordinate defense and command the armed forces, contributed to in equal proportion by the Kingdom and the Dominate, would determine all matters of external policy, would endow a single Imperial treasury contributed to in equal portions by the Kingdom and the Dominate through flat tax and levy, and would reserve all power to intervene in the internal affairs of either the Kingdom or the Dominate insofar as such intervention was in accordance with the mandate of the sovereign. Joint ministries and a Council would be established to inform the sovereign's discretion. After considerable negotiation, Kassus' plan was accepted and the collected senators and boyars elected Kassus as Emperor of the newly formed Dual Monarchy, which was styled the Empire of Kordotha and which is referred to as the Imperial Government. The Imperial calendar--also used in both Aleghane and Eusebius--is dated from this point, which on the calendar is year 1. Technically, the name 'Empire of Kordotha' refers only to the Imperial Government, that is, the governing apparatus that is the Dual Monarchy; it does not refer to a state, as traditionally conceived, but only the governing body (albeit the absolute governing body) of two federated states, Aleghane and Eusebius. The lands unified under this government are more properly known as the dominion of the Empire of Kordotha, or the dominion of the Imperial Government. Imperial policy is meant to serve the Imperial Government, and only by way of serving the Imperial Government, is it meant to serve the federated states of Aleghane and Eusebius. This is the fundamental principle of the Dual Monarchy: only the Dual Monarchy, standing above the federated states as a sovereign body, can be trusted with the security and prosperity of either of the federated states. They thus forfeit their sovereignty and rely on the will and grace of the Imperial Government for their well being. The Imperial Government is not a representative body. It determines the will of the federated states rather than representing it.
B. The Capitoline
This is a huge tract of land on the common border of Aleghane and Eusebius owned by the Imperial Household. The Capitol, an enormous, imposing city that houses the Imperial Government and is home to the Emperor, is built on the Capitoline. The Capitol is walled and its defense is trusted to the elite Imperial Legio Kassus, each member of which is sworn to personal loyalty to the Dual Monarchy. Entrance to the Capitol is strictly controlled. The heart of the city is the Empireplatz, a huge, central plaza at the hub of traffic-free, radiating avenues lined with mortuary temples of the Emperors. The Empireplatz itself is home to the Palatium, residence of the Emperor; the enormous Library of the Empire; the Palace of Deputies, where the Imperial Council meets; and the various palaces for ministries and embassies of foreign powers. The Guard's Parade, stretching outside the Main Wall of the Palatium, is the drilling ground of the Emperor's Own Guards Regiment, also called the Praetorians, who are personally sworn to the Emperor and are under his direct command (though a Colonel of the Guard is usually appointed). They drill daily at dawn, at high noon, and at dusk, and maintain the guard of the Palatium. At the north of the city is the Citadel, the combined headquarters of the Imperial and Royal armed forces and seat of the Imperial War Council.
C. The Imperial Household
The current monarch is Emperor Alexis VI.
Formal style: His Imperial Majesty
State style: His Majesty
Spoken formal style: Your Imperial Majesty
Spoken state style: Your Majesty
Formal titles: Seventy-sixth Emperor of Kordotha, King of Aleghane, Regent of Eusebius, Imperator of the Imperial and Royal Armies, First Lord of the Imperial and Royal Navy, Absolute Ruler of all dominions, posessions and protectorates of the Crown and Scepter of the Dual Monarchy.
Heir apparent: Archduke Valentinian III
D. Summary of the Imperial Government
a. The Emperor
The Emperor holds absolute power to effect any measures He deems necessary toward the execution of the mandate of the Dual Monarchy and His decisions can only be contravened by His express authorization. All legislation promulgated at lower levels of the Government, unless otherwise specified in the Digest of Imperial Dispensations, must be approved by the Emperor.
b. The Emperor's Privy Seal
The Privy Seal is held by the Imperial Viceroy, who alone is empowered to sign decrees in the name of the Emperor. The Viceroy may or may not be granted the ability to speak for the Emperor in the Hearing of Audiences, which determines who is allowed access to the Emperor and when. Some Emperors have chosen to grant the Viceroy only a ceremonial function.
c. The Select Consulate
The Select Consulate is a body of advisers to the Emperor and they edit and maintain the Digest of Imperial Dispensations, which offers local executive and legislative authority with respect to certain matters and issues, to lower levels of the Imperial Government. They have direct access to the Emperor and are responsible only to him.
d. The Imperial and Royal Lord Chancellor
The Lord Chancellor is the Emperor's representative-at-large in government, carrying to the Imperial Council, Ministries, and if necessary to the state governments, the will of the Emperor. He is empowered to report directly to the Emperor, without the intercession of the Viceroy, and in this capacity often acts as liaison between the lower levels of the Imperial or state governments and the Emperor. The Lord Chancellor is empowered to deal with foreign officials, and in this capacity, serves as what in other governments is equivalent to a Minister of State. He is subordinate only to the Emperor.
e. The Imperial Council
The Council is formed of 50 delegates, chosen and recalled only at the will of the Emperor. They are charged with coordinating and administering the activities of the Ministers of Government and receiving deputations from the states. Deputations are allowed access to the Council without petition, so as to plead or represent any grievance or case arising within their state. The Council then votes as to whether to carry the issue to the Lord Chancellor, refer it to a Ministry, or reject the deputation.
f. The Ministries of Government
These include:
The Imperial Treasury
The Ministry of Justice
The Ministry of Federal Affairs
The Imperial Treasury provides funding for the Imperial Government and the Imperial and Royal armed forces and maintains the national currency and monitors and regulates the economy. It drafts the annual budget, which is sent to the Imperial Council and then then to the Emperor. The Ministry of Justice is concerned primarily with enforcing compliance of the states with Imperial decrees, but it also maintains the Imperial police agencies, runs a series of court systems designed for trying those in violation of Imperial law (there is no distinct Judiciary, though appeals may reach the Emperor), and defines the criminal statutes for the Imperial Government and the states. The enormous Ministry of Federal Affairs is charged with coordinating and administering the complex lower level bureaucracy of the dominion.
Each Ministry has a Central Committee which promulgates higher and lower order legislation pertinent to the Ministry's occupation. Higher order legislation is that which must be approved by the Emperor and lower order legislation is that which can be immediately enacted under the aegis of Imperial Dispensation. Emperors have traditionally granted all three ministries extensive dispensations, though these are always subject to revocation. Each ministry must produce weekly digests for submission to the Crown. The representatives of the Central Committees of each Ministry elect a Minister-at-large, who personally reports on behalf of the Committee to the Emperor.
g. The Imperial War Council
The Imperial War Council is the conclave of the General Staffs of the Imperial and Royal Armies and Navy. It is directly subordinate to the Emperor and formulates military policy and strategy, subject to the Emperor's approval.
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[That's it for now, I'll add more later!]
