The Ses Regte (The Six Judges)

The Ses Regte van Kredashmi (pronounced Sayz Reh-kt-uh fan Kre-DASH-me; or Six Judges of Kredashmi) is a hereditary legal and judicial office held by the senior members of Kredasene nobility. The rank of each office does not change ceremonially, but each generation has experienced practical differences between perceived rank and an individual Judge's political and economic standing.
The Judges are typically appointed to the Great Offices of State and Empire, and serve on the König's Privy Council.
The current First Judge is Ludwig Dunheuvelin, Earl of the The Vuurfelde (The Firefields), Knight of the Raskvaeric Empire’s Peace, and Privy Councillor to König Thaddeus III.

History

The Raskvaerii's Policy of Empire

Prior to the Raskvaerii invasion of Kredashmi, the country was divided up into geographic regions controlled by hereditary clan häuptlinge (chieftans). These clans were overseen by a single König, drawn from the leaders of the Rhalen family, who was considered chief amongst their number. Kredashmi's former clan territories cover roughly the same geographic areas as the administrative regions of the modern day, with the exception of Karrkiy Podkhod (the Karr's Approach).
According to Raskvaeric's Policy of Empire, which was set out by the first Raskaeric ruler, Karr Ilyin Marszalek, there are three key methods to assert control over a new territory:

• Strengthen and utilise the existing power structures already present in society. Unless the Raskvaerii delegation deem radical reforms to political heirarchy necessary for the supression of dissent and the safeguarding of the Empire's interests, such reforms must wait at least a generation before implementation.

• Replace the traditional social heirarchy with a peerage sytem based on the one used in Raskvaeric.

• Ensure Raskvaerii control of this new aristocracy by marrying the sons and daughters of the Karr's most loyal supporters, into the territory's most politically infulential families.

In line with the Policy of Empire, Kredashmi's hierarchical clan structure was replaced. The title of häuptlinge was replaced with that of Earl, to reflect the important status of the regional landowners of non-royal blood. Because the Final Battle of 17 SGC affectively wiped out the male lines of the clans, there was little opposition posed to the marriage of influential politicians and military leaders, or their second sons, marrying the daughters or granddaughters of the defeated häuptlinge. This is in stark contrast to the Empire's experience in the neighbouring country of Lormont, where the first of these marriages caused a bloody uprising that almost resulted in the murder of the first Raskvaerii King at his own wedding.
In Kredashmi, the Raskvaerii were forced to make a noteable exceptions to this rule. In case of Ulrich Dunheuvelin, the second son of Häuptling Elroy Dunheuvelin, who evaded death by being captured during the Final Battle. Although he ultimately swore allegiance to Miron Marszalek as the first Raskvaerii König, Dunheuvelin was already married with a young family. Instead, his four-year-old son, Otto, was betrothed to the daughter of Karr Visily's chief secretary.

Type

Civic, Political

Form of Address

Heer regter (Lord Judge), Here Geregtigheid (Lord Justice)

Length of Term

The title of Regter is bestowed upon the chosen heir of the Judge (usually a son or nephew), and is held for the duration of the man's life.

Reports directly to

Die Eerste Regte van Kredashmi (The First Judge of Kredashmi)

Related Organizations

• Kredashmi

Duties and Responsibilities

Part of the traditional häuptlinge role was to maintain justice in their territory. This was mainly done via the medium of petitions and informal court hearings. Instead of choosing to impose a Raskvaerii-style judicial system on the Kredasene, the König Miron and his advisors headed the advice of Königin Josefien Theresa, daughter of the deposed König Henrik, in formalising the judicial nature of the six Earls' role.

Qualifications

It is considered vital that the heirs of the Ses Regte are highly educated. When they are fourteen, they begin their formal apprenticeship under the tutelage of the Eerste Regter. This initial phase of training lasts for four years, with the boy serving eight months studying under the guidance of each Regte.
At the age of eighteen, the boys are sent to study at the Universität of Rykfontein to study law. They are expected to complete this degree in three years, rather than the customary five.