Magna Aenilia Ecclesia/Diplomacy
As a soverign and independent institution beyond political borders, the diplomacy of MAE is not defined by the diplomacy of the realms which have accepted it as a faith. While there may be overlap, no realm holds dominance over the faith, and the faith does not exerise political judgement or authority over other realms beyond that awarded it by its spiritual presence and authority.
What it means to be a faithful realm
A faithful realm is a realm that has accepted MAE as its official religion. This does not mean that the nobles of the realm must worship the Aenil and no other, it is expected that belief in the Aenil will have dominance in both the nobility and peasantry of the realm, and have the support of the realm.
An attack on a realm of the faithful is something that should be prevented at all cost. As such, should a faithful realm be attacked by a non-faithful realm (one that has not accepted the Aenil and MAE), all soldiers of the faith who are able (not occupied elsewhere or where the political situation makes their participation unfeasable) march to the defence of the faithful realm, bonded not by diplomacy which changes daily, but by faith, which remains for generations. Likewise, if the faith is ever attacked by a religion opposed to the Aenil, the faithful will be called to subjugate those realms that would support such heresy.
In wars between faithful realms (an event which hopefully will rarely happen), MAE remains neutral and impartial, just as the Aenil are impartial. The death of faithful men at each others hands is not an appealing situation to man or Aenil alike, and should be avoided. For this reason, while they keep their political relationships, priests are expected to serve only the faith and not degenerate the beliefs they preach by using them for political influence.
The relationship between MAE and Greater Aenilia
Greater Aenilia is the home of the first temple of MAE and its Prophet, Orphaea Imperium. While the Prophet is at this time also King of Greater Aenilia, much of the running of both is delegated to other nobles to be sure that there is no undue influence between the two. For this reason, council members (Legate, Syndic, Chamberlain and the various Auctoriti) are selected from faithful realms, so that all realms of the faith may have a voice. Within the faith, political titles are ignored so that a poor noble might have great station and a King may be but a layman, depending on the faith of both. MAE is governed by faith and merit, not by politics, to prevent the conflict and collapse of the Vandaenil and Taith Aenil, which tore apart Aenilia in all its forms.
The realm Greater Aenilia is a normal realm but for publicly declaring its faith in MAE not only in its official religion, but also in its name. Were other realms to rename themselves Arcaean Aenilia, Ethialan Aenilia or the Principality of Aenilian Zonasa, it would be the same. Beyond this, MAE has no other influence on Greater Aenilia beyond its position as the official religion, and Greater Aenilia no other influence on MAE beyond those faithful nobles from the realm.
