Abstarian Empire/Constitution
This constitution yet has to be edited, finished and changed.
Contents
Preamble
I, the Emperor of the Abstarian Empire, in order to form a strong and just Empire, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquillity, provide common defence, promote general Welfare and secure the Blessings of Nobility to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Consitution for the Abstarian Empire.
Legislature
All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in the Higher Council of the Abstarian Empire, which shall consist of the Ruler, Judge, Banker, General and the Dukes.
Obeying the Constitution
Every soul of the Abstarian Empire shall obey the Constitution at any time. Not following it is equal to High Treason.
Rules of Addressing
According to the Codes of Nobility, there are strict rules concerning the addressing of other nobles, nobles in general, and higher nobles.
Rules for Commoners
It is forbidden for Commoners, peasants, slaves or even regular soldiers (when not on duty) to address nobles. Commoners are granted right of speech by a noble.
Rules for Nobles-to-Nobles
Nobles should address each other kindly, and use no offensive or insulting language. They are free to talk to each other and a noble addressing a noble cannot commit a crime by doing so. There is however one exception;
Rules for Nobles-to-Higher-Nobility
There is a clear distinction between common Nobles and Higher Nobles. Higher Nobles are recognised by the Emperor and often reside in his circle of inner friends. Including Higher Nobility are the Dukes, the Ruler himself, the General, the Banker and the Judge, and anyone else granted the privilege of Higher Nobility by the Emperor.
Marshals are not included in Higher Nobility but are free to discuss military plans with the General. The same goes for Traders and Bankers (economical subjects), Bureaucrats and the Judge (maintenance of the realm) and lords and dukes (ducal affairs).
The King is the highest one of Nobility and should be addressed appropriately. Failing to address the Emperor appropriately several times will result in punishment by the Judge.
Voting System
As upon the founding of the Empire, a voting system has been developed that is used within the Empire’s borders.
The High Council
The High Council holds the highest power within the Empire. It is in the High Council that decisions are made, lead, governed and supervised by the Emperor. It is His Royal Highness who appoints the members.
Votes
The Emperor (Ruler) has two votes; all the other council members have one vote each.
Laws
The passing, rejecting or redesigning of laws, submitted by any councilmember, is done in the High Council. Any new law needs the approval of the Emperor.
Ducal representation
Every duke represents his duchy and should thus represent the opinion of the Duchy, informing his knights and lords what the law is about and which advantages and/or disadvantages it may have for their duchy and/or the realm.
If the majority of Lords of a duchy decide to vote against the law, the Duke should vote against it as well (even when he is in favour of the law) and vice versa. If the Duke is caught on not representing the opinion of his duchy, he will be put on to trial and if found guilty, punished appropriate.
Exception to the Ducal Representation: if the new law has to be implemented with haste – though laws should never be implemented with haste -, the Emperor might decide to give the Dukes the right to vote without consulting their nobles.
For internal Ducal voting, read §6.
Amendments
Amendments to the constitution are a rare occasion, and request voting by the Higher Council and an agreement with the Emperor. Only members of the Higher Council can propose Amendments.
Since the constitution is important to each and every noble of the realm, amendments have to be voted upon in a referendum.
Ducal System
The Empire is different from other realms, because it has a special Ducal System within its borders. Not unlike any other realm, where the nation is under central government, the Empire is divided into Duchies which actually have a (small) responsibility and right to govern themselves.
Ducal Government
In charge of the Duchy and the Ducal Government is the Duke himself, granted this power by the Emperor. Under his supervision stands the Duchy; the City, the Regions, the Lords, the Knights, the Armies, the Soldiers. The Ducal System is created to ease the management from the High Council.
The Duke should appoint several Lords which he seems fit to help him in his daily affairs. The High Council will develop guidelines for the duchies. This can vary from duchy-specific guidelines to goals that should be obtained in the entire Empire. The designing of the guidelines uses the same voting system as in §5.1.2.
The dukes should regularly (weekly) report what is going on in their duchy.
Daily Economical Affairs
The Ducal Government can arrange daily economical affairs, such as limited, small-scale trade of food, or investments in regions. They are also responsible for maintaining the roads, in order to assure a swift passage of the armies.
For larger food transfers the Ducal Government has to contact the Banker for his fiat. Trading with foreign traders is allowed. Trading with enemy traders is strictly forbidden. The Emperor or the Banker can, at any given moment, cancel a deal established by the Ducal Government.
Daily Maintenance
The Ducal Government is in charge of the daily maintenance of regions within the duchy’s borders. This includes keeping production, morale, loyalty and control at a top notch shape.
If having problems with the Daily Maintenance, they should contact the Judge as soon as possible. The Judge is the highest in command for the entire Empire, and might decide single-handedly to take over the daily maintenance in a duchy for a while.
Daily Military Movement
The Ducal Government is in charge of the daily military movement of its own army/armies. However, the marshals are still free to order their armies around, without having to listen to the restrictions of the Ducal Government.
In the Military micro-government the Ducal System should rather control the movement of the army/armies and report suspicious moves to the Higher Council. Being caught not reporting this will result in severe punishment.
The Ducal Government should also make sure the army/armies are well funded. The Ducal Government has the right to co-operate with other duchies in order to combine their military movements.
The Ducal Government should deal with minor military threats, such as monsters, undead, or small enemy units. They should also constantly guard their borders (scouting).
If in trouble or in need of Imperial help, they should contact the High Council. The High Marshal develops military guidelines and hands them out to the marshals. If the marshal gets a specific task to order his/her army to do, it is his/her duty to fulfil this task.
Inter-ducal twist
In case of inter-ducal twist, as in a discussion between two duchies about certain measurements, or about the claim of a region, the dukes should contact the Highest Council, which will then decide on what to do with the problem. Several solutions should be formed, and one solution will eventually prevail, using the voting system as in §5.1.2.
Special Governmental Measures
In cases of emergency, with the enemy at the borders, or on the brink of destruction, or with an internal threat, the Higher Council or the Emperor can take severe measures.
Special Centralization of Governmental Affairs
In case of emergency or when the Empire is threatened by internal conflict, or by a foreign conflict fought on the Imperial Lands, the Emperor has the right to make himself dictator. This means that the Emperor owns no explanations to the realm whatsoever, and is not obliged to discuss anything with even the Highest Council (Judge, Banker, General).
When the Emperor is dictator he can hand out any order that does not violate the constitution (as such, he can violate laws). This goes from individual orders for an infiltrator, to military orders for the entire realm.
The maximum duration of this Centralization is 1 month. After this one month, the Highest Council has to decide whether the Centralization should be prolonged or not. Voting for this is the same as in §5.1.1.
Movement Forbidden
The Higher Council can decide, with a simple majority, to restrict any movement within or outside the borders of the realm. This to prevent several things, not to be mentioned here.
The maximum duration of the “lockdown” is two days. After that the Higher Council should reconsider this drastic measure. Voting system applied is the same as in §5.1.1.
Hierarchy
The Empire only exists because of the Hierarchy present. If not respected, it will shatter, and glory will be gone.
Breaking the Hierarchy can lead to prosecution.
Higher Hierarchic Ranks
The nobles should respect the Hierarchic Ranks, and recognize the following persons as their superior (unless being that person or belonging to the Higher Hierarchic Rank).
