Aldarion
Neoreactionary Monarchist
HISTORY
Empire of Vetronia started out as an alliance of cities and tribes, and then expanded through territorial conquest. However, modern Empire was birthed in a long war against Fomorian invaders. The old Empire having fallen apart, new alliance was formed in a Treaty of Virivadum (note: Treaty of Verdun) in 1293. AUC.
TERRITORIAL UNITS
Each territorial unit is allowed to make treatises and enter alliances with other territories of the same rank: thus a city can make treaty with another city within the Empire. However, any negotiations with polities of a different rank have to go through a representative of the same rank as the polity / unit being negotiated with. If the entity being negotiated with is from outside the Empire, negotiations have to go through the Imperial government.
Imperial Provinces
Province (provincia), also called a circle or a stem duchy, is the largest territorial unit of the Empire. There were originally five provinces established during the Fomorian wars. As territories were liberated, number has increased to current 18. Provinces are generally ethnically homogenous, with each province housing a single tribe.
Each province supports a single field army (corpus), commanded by a comes who also serves as a governor of the province. It serves as a recruitment and support area of an army, and soldiers of the army are given military holdings across the territory of the province. Aside from organizing common defensive structures, another purpose of the provinces is collection of Imperial taxes.
Ducates
Ducates (ducatus) are also called duchies, as they are based on areas controlled by clans within a tribe. Each ducate could include one larger clan or several smaller clans of the same tribe (and thus also ethnicity). As a result, they have high degree of internal cohesion.
Each ducate supports a single turma, commanded by a dux. Duke is an Imperial appointee, and has ultimate authority over all military-related matters in a duchy, as well as final word on political matters which could not be resolved at lower levels. He is not allowed however to interfere with internal politics and policies of individual cities and settlements.
Municipalities
Municipality (municipium) is the lowest level of local government. Normally understood to be a fortified city, where those are not present, same role may be performed by a group of villages. Municipalities have a long political tradition. Regardless of all the upheavals, most municipalities have managed to preserve the political organization they had had at the time of the conquest; and what had changed had come from within. Imperial law regulates relationships between cities, but within the city area, it is local municipal law that reigns supreme. Only soldiers are exempt from this.
Thus government remained wholly local – and incredibly diverse as a result. Political organization is incredibly varied, but can be classified into several categories:
Imperial governor (curator) is present in each city, but his duties are limited to making sure that city fulfills its obligations towards the Empire in terms of taxes and military obligations. Depending on city's displayed loyalty and importance, it can be moved up or down the rank:
GOVERNMENT
Emperor
Emperor is elected by the leaders of imperial provinces, stem duchies and major municipalities. He has the right to declare war, ratify treaties and negotiate with foreign leaders. Emperor is also the ultimate judicial authority, with possibility of appeal to Emperor's judgement if Senate does not resolve the case. Access to the Emperor may be granted on a daily reception (salutatio), or displeasure may be made known as a group at the games and other public events.
Senate
Imperial Senate consists of representatives of imperial provinces, stem duchies and major municipalities. It is divided into three colleges (collegia), each formed from representatives of a single category (Collegium Provinciarum, Collegium Ducatuum, Collegium Municipiorum). Senate proposes laws and taxes and also brings issues to attention of the Emperor. While it has no power to enforce any of these, it can block the Emperor from enforcing them either, unless the Emperor gains support of at least one, and usually two, colleges.
Taxes
Taxes are paid in coin and in kind. Taxes in kind are generally paid by local communities directly to army units located there, thus replacing (or reducing) the need for the army to organize supply of the units when not on campaign.
Ordinary taxes are generally set by custom and tradition. Extraordinary taxes may be declared in times of danger, but they have to be ratified by the Senate – if only retroactively.
Laws
Laws are governed by local traditions. Imperial laws cover only relationships between various entities forming the Empire as well as relations towards the outside.
LINKS FOR BASIS
Kingdom of Germany
Stem duchy
List of states in the Holy Roman Empire
Imperial circle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Diet_(Holy_Roman_Empire)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_government_(ancient_Roman)
Municipium
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonia_(Roman)
<i>Civitas</i>
Roman Empire
https://ia800300.us.archive.org/2/items/municipaladminis032553mbp/municipaladminis032553mbp.pdf
https://cristianizacioneslavos.file...germany-in-early-middle-agges-c-800-10561.pdf
Empire of Vetronia started out as an alliance of cities and tribes, and then expanded through territorial conquest. However, modern Empire was birthed in a long war against Fomorian invaders. The old Empire having fallen apart, new alliance was formed in a Treaty of Virivadum (note: Treaty of Verdun) in 1293. AUC.
TERRITORIAL UNITS
Each territorial unit is allowed to make treatises and enter alliances with other territories of the same rank: thus a city can make treaty with another city within the Empire. However, any negotiations with polities of a different rank have to go through a representative of the same rank as the polity / unit being negotiated with. If the entity being negotiated with is from outside the Empire, negotiations have to go through the Imperial government.
Imperial Provinces
Province (provincia), also called a circle or a stem duchy, is the largest territorial unit of the Empire. There were originally five provinces established during the Fomorian wars. As territories were liberated, number has increased to current 18. Provinces are generally ethnically homogenous, with each province housing a single tribe.
Each province supports a single field army (corpus), commanded by a comes who also serves as a governor of the province. It serves as a recruitment and support area of an army, and soldiers of the army are given military holdings across the territory of the province. Aside from organizing common defensive structures, another purpose of the provinces is collection of Imperial taxes.
Ducates
Ducates (ducatus) are also called duchies, as they are based on areas controlled by clans within a tribe. Each ducate could include one larger clan or several smaller clans of the same tribe (and thus also ethnicity). As a result, they have high degree of internal cohesion.
Each ducate supports a single turma, commanded by a dux. Duke is an Imperial appointee, and has ultimate authority over all military-related matters in a duchy, as well as final word on political matters which could not be resolved at lower levels. He is not allowed however to interfere with internal politics and policies of individual cities and settlements.
Municipalities
Municipality (municipium) is the lowest level of local government. Normally understood to be a fortified city, where those are not present, same role may be performed by a group of villages. Municipalities have a long political tradition. Regardless of all the upheavals, most municipalities have managed to preserve the political organization they had had at the time of the conquest; and what had changed had come from within. Imperial law regulates relationships between cities, but within the city area, it is local municipal law that reigns supreme. Only soldiers are exempt from this.
Thus government remained wholly local – and incredibly diverse as a result. Political organization is incredibly varied, but can be classified into several categories:
- hereditary absolute monarchies
- hereditary parliamentary monarchies
- elective parliamentary monarchies
- republics
- democracies
Imperial governor (curator) is present in each city, but his duties are limited to making sure that city fulfills its obligations towards the Empire in terms of taxes and military obligations. Depending on city's displayed loyalty and importance, it can be moved up or down the rank:
- Free Imperial City (urbs imperialis libera) has full rights of self-governance as well as representation in the Imperial Senate. Free cities have their own laws, and can elect their own magistrates.
- Colony (colonia) is the second rank of imperial cities. Colonies have extensive self-governance and their own laws, as well as the ability to elect their own magistrates. Unlike Free Cities, colonies do not have representation in the Senate.
- Town (civitas) is the third rank of imperial cities. Towns have limited self-governance and follow imperial laws, but have the ability to elect their own magistrates and raise militias.
- Stipendary town (civitas stipendaria) is the fourth and lowest rank of the urban community. Usually used as a punishment for rebellion, stipendary towns are fully governed by Imperial governors, with no self-governance, ability to elect magistrates or raise militias.
- Village (vicus) is a governing unit of rural community, or else a unit of division of a city. In either case, it is legally subordinated to the urban government, but has its own board of officials overseeing local matters. Its status depends on the status of the city or else a group of villages it is grouped with in a senior unit.
GOVERNMENT
Emperor
Emperor is elected by the leaders of imperial provinces, stem duchies and major municipalities. He has the right to declare war, ratify treaties and negotiate with foreign leaders. Emperor is also the ultimate judicial authority, with possibility of appeal to Emperor's judgement if Senate does not resolve the case. Access to the Emperor may be granted on a daily reception (salutatio), or displeasure may be made known as a group at the games and other public events.
Senate
Imperial Senate consists of representatives of imperial provinces, stem duchies and major municipalities. It is divided into three colleges (collegia), each formed from representatives of a single category (Collegium Provinciarum, Collegium Ducatuum, Collegium Municipiorum). Senate proposes laws and taxes and also brings issues to attention of the Emperor. While it has no power to enforce any of these, it can block the Emperor from enforcing them either, unless the Emperor gains support of at least one, and usually two, colleges.
Taxes
Taxes are paid in coin and in kind. Taxes in kind are generally paid by local communities directly to army units located there, thus replacing (or reducing) the need for the army to organize supply of the units when not on campaign.
Ordinary taxes are generally set by custom and tradition. Extraordinary taxes may be declared in times of danger, but they have to be ratified by the Senate – if only retroactively.
Laws
Laws are governed by local traditions. Imperial laws cover only relationships between various entities forming the Empire as well as relations towards the outside.
LINKS FOR BASIS
Kingdom of Germany
Stem duchy
List of states in the Holy Roman Empire
Imperial circle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Diet_(Holy_Roman_Empire)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_government_(ancient_Roman)
Municipium
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonia_(Roman)
<i>Civitas</i>
Roman Empire
https://ia800300.us.archive.org/2/items/municipaladminis032553mbp/municipaladminis032553mbp.pdf
https://cristianizacioneslavos.file...germany-in-early-middle-agges-c-800-10561.pdf
