Rhessian Empire
Rhessiar Erresuma
The Rhessian Empire is an absolute monarchy in southern Sartaldia. One of the oldest and most powerful states, Rhessia differs in many ways from the other nations of Sartaldia. Apart from being the only nation made up mostly of Etzyax’s lineage, it’s also one of two nations that has maintained its ancestral religion despite the Nascea’s revelation. The Empire has always existed in one form or another and has always been a major presence in Southern Sartaldia.
Structure
At the very summit of Rhessian society stands the emperor (emheradorea). The emperor is central to the Rhessian state and in the minds of his subjects is tied to the well-being of the empire. Officially the emperor is supposed to be chosen by the senate, army and people of Rhessia but in practice it’s usually powerful politicians and strong military leaders that take the throne by force. In contrast to other Sartaldian kingdoms, there isn’t any reverence for dynasties and as a result it’s seen as justified to depose a bad emperor. The emperor also serves a religious function by being the link between the people of Rhessia and God.
The two most important men after the emperor are the Grand Augur (Augure Vicain) and the Mayor of Harreca (Harrecaen Alcate). The Grand Augur is the supreme leader in the Draconist pagan hierarchy and is responsible for the maintenance of Draconist temples. While first and foremost a religious leader, the Grand Augur is also a powerful political figure, chosen by the emperor from a number of candidates elected by a synod. The Grand Augur acts as one of the emperor’s chief councilors, the palace almoner and at times became serious rival to imperial authority. His moral and political weight have been an immense influence on imperial politics. As well as the maintenance of Draconist temples, the Grand Augur is the one responsible for crowning the emperor, officiating imperial weddings and inducting the emperor’s children into the Draconist faith. The Grand Augur also heads his own administration with its own chancellor, chief archivist and secretaries. With the rising importance of Nasceans in Rhessia, his position of authority has been challenged by the Patriarch of Asuia (Asuiaren Aitalehen).
Historically, one of the characteristics of Rhessia was its political, economic and demographic megacephaly. Harreca and the emperor were the absolute centre of all things in Rhessia and while the recent events have caused dramatic decentralisation, the primacy of the capital and the man who controls it still plays a vital role in politics. The man in question is the Mayor of Harreca. The Mayor acts as a city prefect and wields immense power through the city’s administration, police and courts of law. An army of bureaucrats run the city’s many services, headed by bureaucrats and domestics. The mayor collects taxes on behalf of the emperor and controls all the imperial warehouses, thus controlling any trade going in and out of the capital. No business can be legally conducted in the capital without his expressed permission and merchants will often display the mayor's seal as proof of their legitimacy.
Rhessia has a complex system of bureaucracy and aristocracy. Some aristocratic titles are purely honorific whereas others reflect a real responsibility in the imperial administration. A distinction can be made between Dignities or Titles by insignia (Vailac Dovinaengatic) and Functions or Titles by decree (Vailac Decretuengatic). Dignities are titles granted for life to important nobles, foreigners related to the imperial family or distinguished individuals. A Dignity consists of a title and an ordain (payment) of gold and silk. The payment is given once a year by the emperor during the feast of the Spring Solstice. Dignities form a complex hierarchy which can change with the introduction of new titles. They often overlap with Functions since many Dignities are actually obsolete Functions. It’s also common for individuals to accumulate both types of titles. Dignities have little tangible purpose other than showing prestige or closeness to the emperor; however they can also be seen as a way to keep the nobles in line by making them vie for pompous titles. (Example: Lehenfrestuagovitanfrocontsula or The First Most Noble Twice Proconsul).
Functions on the other hand reflect specific tasks in the empire’s massive administration and can be divided into four categories:
- Palatine Functions: titles given to who administer the imperial family’s day to day activities and the running of their palaces. These include, among others, the palace caretaker (jauregico zaindari), the chief of stables (zaldizain nagusi), the imperial secretary (lehenidazcari) and the official in charge of the emperor’s wardrobe (lehenjantzitegi).
- Provincial Functions: titles destined for provincial governors and administrators. These would sometimes overlap with military functions on certain border regions. Provinces are generally ruled by a duke (vuruzagi) and provincial cities will usually be ruled by a prefect (hrefectu). Also included in provincial functions are judges (efaile) sent from the capital on missions.
- Military Functions: titles destined for the armies and navies of the empire. Historically there have been three types of armed forces: the legions (legioac) or permanent army, the hosts (osteac) or levied army, and the navy (itsas gudarostea). The distinction between legion and host has blurred over time with civil wars inciting provincial dukes to amass their own permanent troops. The high commander of the legion is called the Grand Domestic (Handiciotsein) and the leader of the emperor’s elite troops is the Domestic of the Scholes (Icastetxeacotsein), the Scholes (Icastetxeac) being the palace guards drawn from military academies. Dukes will occasionally be given the title of estratega when commanding a host. The navy is controlled by the Grand Duke (Handivuruzagi).
-Administrative Functions: also called imperial chancellery, these titles are the most numerous since they span the imperial bureaucracy. The bureaucracy is divided into services each headed by an official called a tribune. All these tribunes obey the Grand Prefect (Handihrefectua) who is often someone close to the emperor. Some of the most important services are:
- The Tribune of the Tracks (Fistaen Trivunoa): administers the imperial highways and postal services. This job makes this tribune an important figure in military, commercial and political logistics which gives him disproportionate political power. As such the Tribune of the Tracks will often hold the title of Grand Prefect as well.
- The General Tribune (Trivuno Nagusia): administers public finances and tax collection in the provinces
- The Tribune of War (Gudarosten Trivunoa): in charge of financing and supplying the army
- The Chartulary (Txartularioa): in charge of the state treasury and tasked with financing and supplying the navy
The Mayor of Harreca is also considered an administrative function and along with the Grand Prefect/Tribune of the Tracks wields immense power at court.
Eunuchs have always been a feature of Rhessian politics and court life. This is due to the fact that the emperor, being God’s representative, must be a perfectly formed man capable of reproduction. This explains why eunuchs were trusted with important positions and why different claimants to the imperial throne would mutilate their rivals (blinding and castration are most common).
Territories
Provinces and major cities:
- Aloia – Harreka
- Aloia – Jenaci
- Aloia – Iztao
- Aloia – Catxeva
- Viranahoa – Asuia
- Viranahoa – Zitxae
- Viranahoa – Nisai
- Viranahoa – Tzitries
- Veltzalura – Jivair
- Veltzalura – Vuruhirri
- Urrea – Caloaca
- Urrea – Liriz
- Gorrilura – Cusatxe
- Gorrilura – Laurentoa
- Gorrilura – Velitea
- Ankiona – Tenaro
- Ankiona – Cardavilac
- Goxotza – Tellenia
- Goxotza – Incovu
- Tesalaia – Tesala
- Tesalaia – Locri
- Tesalaia – Sartivea
- Tesalaia – Hostia
- Tesalia – Lavahiri
- Gogortza – Nezola
- Gogortza – Goiziri
- Lauharteac – Savatineac
- Lauharteac – Sinie
- Lauharteac – Satsineac
- Lauharteac – Tzaunita
- Veroara (Central Khaydab) – Eregoac
- Veroara (Central Khaydab) – Coriz (Qawris)
- Veroara (Central Khaydab) – Elea (Ilyah)
- Veroara (Central Khaydab) – Hatzua (Wadhiyya)
- Lisaia – Orradi (Ohradit) Zilara province (controlled by Nascean rebels)
- Zilara
- Legar
- Etzionu
- Zainifar
- Zainhego
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