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Over the past few weeks, teams of Hermertian legal scholars have been hard at work reincorporating the Act of Definitions. Many viewpoints have been heard from and much fruitful discussion has taken place in an effort to modernise some of this old language while taking care to stay true to our guiding historical philosophies; the resulting draft has seen community consensus for over a week now and as such is presented to the House of Dukes for voting.
Thank you all, as you play a crucial part in bringing our laws one step closer to full completion!
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Act of Definitions: Noble Titles and Legal Holdings
Citizens of the planet of Hermertia are all Mercurian
By Imperial Decree, all lands discovered throughout Hermertia were always, are always, and will always be the legitimate sovereign territory of the Empire before anything else. All lands discovered are philosophically granted entry into the Empire, although by practical necessity the application of this is subject to gradualism.
Counts
Holders and protectors of local plots of land recognized by the Empire as Counties are known as Counts. Important regional nobles, the rank evolved from the formalization of high ranking courtiers and provincial officials during the Cycles of the Snake and Owl, but was constitutionalized during the founding of New Hermertia to help better decentralize governance. It is the duty of counts to be the protectors of local communities, coming with unique rights and privileges such as being able to form vassalage relationships with vassals to form growing regions. Counties may include multiple smaller holdings and settlements within one jurisdiction. Counts may oversee multiple Counties (sometimes adopting the term, equivalent in rank and privilege, of Grand County), but they must choose a primary title when they do so. Counts may be lords of either independent holdings (with the Council of the Crowned as their liege) or holdings inside of an established realm under a Duke or King.
While the titles of 'County' and 'Count' are the land and rank legally defined and recognised by the Empire, alternative, localized, and equivalent titles for the land and the individual may be recognized and employed in formal diplomatic channels.
Dukes
Holders and protectors of vast regions Duchies formed from multiple counties, Dukes are amongst the most important nobles of the Empire. Evolving from the ancient Mercurian practice of settling new lands by empowering trusted regional leaders, with influential Governors of realms in the later Cycle of the Owl serving the same purpose, today groupings of generally 3-10 counties are brought together under a single identity to form large Duchies as a way to strategically coordinate governance. Dukes are respected and influential nobles in the Mercurian Empire for they embody the spirit of Hermetia: the promotion of collaboration, project, and community. Dukes may oversee multiple Duchies (sometimes adopting the term, equivalent in rank and privilege, of Grand Duchy), but they must choose a primary title when they do so. Dukes may be lords of either independent holdings (with the Council of the Crowned as their liege) or holdings inside of an established realm under a King.
While the titles of 'Duchy' and 'Duke' are the land and rank legally defined and recognised by the Empire, alternative, localized, and equivalent titles for the land and the individual may be recognized and employed in formal diplomatic channels.
Kings/Queens
Kings and Queens are rulers of the great Kingdoms of the Merucian Empire, sitting members of the Council of the Crowned and eternally recognised as divine. Once recognized as a the ruler of a Kingdom under the Council of the Crowned, Kings and Queens will forever retain the divinity though may be recognized as inactive and/or be subject to dissolution at the discretion of the Council of the Crowned. The highest legal authorities of the Empire, the members of the Council of the Crowned may only be recognised through the unanimous consent of all active sitting members of the Council of the Crowned; they may stand for election to the position of Emperor of the Empire, are dedicated to reflecting the will of the peoples of Hermertia, and have sworn to uphold the spirit and values of the Empire.
Emperor/Empress
From the first days of the Mercurian Empire and the rise of nations across the lands of Hermertia, the preservation of truth, objectivity, and the values of the Empire has been the task of an Emperor or Empress. A representative of the divinity of the Mercurian Empire and the Council of the Crowned, the Emperor is tasked with the eternal responsibility of preserving the spirit of the Empire; ensuring the continuation of the Empire while holding a sacred trust as a connection to its historic values and guiding philosophies.
Elected from within the ranks of the Council and equal in rights and abilities to each of the sitting members of the latter, the Emperor/Empress holds the responsibility of performing tasks as a representative of the Council of the Crowned, including but not limited to the crowning of newly ascended Kings/Queens to the Council and the delivering of announcements on behalf of the Council. A timeless representative of the guiding collaborative philosophy of the Empire, the Emperor/Empress has the sacred duty of representing and encouraging the diversity and community of the Empire and of fostering communal ties and development; in this role, the Emperor/Empress holds the responsibility of representing the community in specific instances, including but not limited to officiating cultural events such as the Imperial Games, introducing communal initiatives and events, and travelling the Empire to foster international development and cooperation.
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