Greetings!
Next on the chopping block for community review of the Old Laws - the assembly of laws including the Carta, the Criminal Code, and all other Acts and Laws, currently being termed the Imperial Codex - is the Act of Definitions: Noble Titles and Legal Holdings. The original language, salvaged from the Old World Imperial Libraries, is below.
Enjoy!
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Act of Definitions: Noble Titles and Legal Holdings
Citizens of the planet of Hermertia are all Mercurian
By Imperial Decree, the Pax Mercuria Commandment, all are in some ways and some scales representatives of the covenants of divinity, meaning 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, such as immigration rules, protecting society from vagrants, and to prevent over-stretching Imperial resources, the application of this universality is subject to gradualism.
Counts
Holders and protectors of local plots of land, equivalent to regional municipalities or counties, are known as Counts. Counts are important nobles that historically convey an approximate rank intermediate between the highest titles of nobility and the lowest titles of nobility. 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 the New Hermertian colonies to help better decentralize governance. It is the duty of counts to be the protectors of local municipalities, coming with unique rights and privileges such as being able to form vassalage relationships with serfs to form growing municipalities. Counties can include smaller holdings like baronies (castles), temples, councillorships, cities and towns, and while extremely important, none of these titles are considered noble. Successful counts can control multiple counties but musts choose a primary title when they do, and can sometimes become lords of many independent barons, bishops, councilors and mayors over the course of their evolution. Counts can be independent micro-nations (with the Council of the Crowned as their liege), or Counts can serve under a Duke or King. Counts serve the respected and admirable role of helping serfs find their first homes and educating serfs about how they can become counts of their own one day. Equivalent or localized versions of the name include but are not limited to, Earldom, Shire, Graf, Xian, Comte, Megye, Shahrestan, Fylke, or Fief.
Dukes
Holders and protectors of vast lands, combined out of many counties, are amongst the most important rulers in Hermertia. Also known as nations or states, Duchies evolved from ancient Mercurian practice of settling new lands by empowering trusted leaders and peoples. Governors of realms in the Cycle of the Owl for example served the same purpose. Counties and holdings are brought together under a single flag and national identity to form large Duchies as a way to help strategically coordinate macro-governance necessary for spread apart peoples to thrive. Dukes are glorious and respected nobles in the Mercurian Empire for the embody the spirit of Hermetia, that is, the promotion of vision, culture, glory, project and community. Duchies are usually built out of 3 to 10 Counties. Dukes can control multiple Duchies (sometimes becoming known as a Grand Duchy), but they must choose a primary title when they do. Dukes can either be independent (with the Council of the Crowned as their liege), or Dukes can serve under a King.
Kings
Kings are divine rulers recognized by the Emperor, the legitimizer and objectivity of the Empire’s will of force and wisdom of truth. Historically, the first Kings were recognized as divines within the greater divine, an act to actualize the subjectivity of objectivity. Because the Emperor is a symbol of pure objectivity, s/he is unable to represent the will of truth in actuality or in practice. This has therefore been the delegated purpose, duty, and honor of the divinity of the Kings. Kingdoms are divine and eternal, although to uphold the principle of subjective application of objectivity, the nature, rules of ascension, laws and more are subject to the spirit of the wills and characters therein. The Kings are the most holy and absolute authorities in practice. Only the Emperor, derived from the Ancient Rite, can recognize Kings, and any King not recognized by the Emperor or Empire is not legally a Kingdom. Kings are the most trusted to uphold the traditions, spirit, and values of history, philosophy and truth.
Regent
The Regent is the steward, secretary, and intermediary between the Emperor and the Empire. The Regent is therefore unable to ever be recognized as Emperor, and will always be sworn to servitude to said Emperor. The duties of the Regent include the facilitation of elections, or the conservation of the Empire status, even in the absence of the Emperor. It is the sole spirit and nature of the Regent to balance conservativism and progressivism, by balancing the voice and traditions of the Emperor and the aspirations of Mercurian subjects. The Regent is therefore bound by the laws of divinity, and is not free to rule entirely as s/he wishes, except in his/her duties as King or any other official office title. By Imperial Decree, the Pax Mercuria Commandment, the Regent is also High-Lord representative of the divine wisdom and courageous will of Mystical Reflectivism, a state-endorsed (but not mandated) religion.
Emperor
Truth, objectivity, philosophy, honor, grounding, and meaning are all derived from the Ancient Rite. From the Ibrahimic Empire, to the Empire of Man, these secrets have been passed down by a sole representative since the beginning of time. The Emperor is the Mercurian Empire’s connection to past truths, philosophies, and meaning, for the Emperor is timeless. As such, the Emperor is a representation of objectivity, and not subjectivity. The application of truth is left to the divine authority of the Kings and the powers delegated below to other noble titles. The role of the Emperor is not to interfere with subjective applications of truth, but rather, to be a messenger and symbol of objective and timeless truth. While the Emperor’s word is final, the Emperor, under that authority, will never apply subjective prescriptions, rulings, or changes unless they represent the cosmos and timelessness of truth itself, and therefore, such rulings will be as rare as acts of cosmic awe.
_________________ Wysterian Labourer's Council Currently Holding Stewardship of Wysteria Minister for Applications and Settlement Forums Administrator
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