Emperor Sqin' (Themiclesia)

Template:Infobox monarch Emperor Shad-tsung (世宗皇帝, shad-tsung ghwang-teh), born Sjo-mra'-drjon-rjang (司馬辰晾) on Oct. 5, 1916, was the sovereign of Themiclesia from his ascension on May 2, 1926 until his death on Nov. 20, 2016; his regnal era was Ghrom-'an (咸安). He is the longest-reigning and oldest monarch in Themiclesian history. His reign saw remarkable events as the Pan-Septentrion War, the implementation of universal franchise, the Themiclesian Economic Miracle, and the Great Depression of 1978.

Early life

Shad-tsung was born the eldest son of Prince Brjeng of Ghwad-t'rjang in the latter's residence in Ghwad-t'rjang Prefecture in the small hours of the morning on Oct. 5, 1916; his mother is the Princess Consort Mo'. Though he was not born as heir, it very soon became apparent that he would be next in line to the throne. The reigning Emperor, Muk-tsung, suffered from a complication which made him infertile, and none of his four predecessor provided any surviving lineage at the time. Shad-tsung was fifth cousin to the reigning Emperor, making his succession all the more unexpected. His father, who had the preceding claim to the throne, died of pneumonia in early 1917, which made Shad-tsung heir presumptive under Themiclesian law at the age of 2. Comparatively little is known about his childhood, though it is assumed that, by the 1910s and 20s, even in a princely house, Shad-tsung would have enjoyed more intimacy with his family than any of his predecessors would have.

Shad-tsung was his parents' only offspring. At the age of 3, renowed historian Prof. Lang of the University of Rei-tju was retained as his tutor. When he was 7, he was summoned to the capital city to be invested as heir apparent, on Mar. 3, 1924; from then on, he lived in the East Palace, the official residence of the imperial heir. Upon investiture, he took Empress Ru' as his legitimate mother, such as the law required. Prof. Lang and a handful of other scholars of repute instructed him in the subjects of history, literature, philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, fine arts, and music. Little more than two years later, Emperor Muk-tsung fell into a pond under suspicious circumstances on the Apr. 29; though he was rescued within minutes, he suffered from water accumulating in his lungs, which triggered an acute infection. Muk-tsung fell into a coma on the 30th and died at 12:40 a.m. on the following day. Empress Ru rushed to collect the Crown Prince from the East Palace and allegedly held onto his hand so tightly that she lacerated his skin. At 2:30 a.m., Empress Ru' ascended the Imperial Throne, with Shad-tsung sitting on her lap, ordered routine morning audience to commence; in full court, she announced the demise of the crown and requested courtiers to accept the Crown Prince as the late Emperor's successor.

Minority

The following day, the late Emperor was removed from his deathbed and laid in state in the Dad-gjok-dion Hall. The Crown Prince, after declining the throne for three times, accepted the acclaimation of the court and the edict of succession was passed under the Imperial Seal by Empress Ru', who thereby became Empress Dowager; Shad-tsung's own mother, Prince Consort Mo', was made Imperial Consort Dowager. As the Emperor was only 9 years of age at that point, Themiclesian law required a regent to act on his behalf, until he is of majority age at 20. The court appointed both the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Consort Dowager as co-regents, and for the following nine years, Shad-tsung sat with his two mothers each morning audience and listened to its proceedings.

When Shad-tsung first ascended the throne, Themiclesia's economy expanded rapidly. The Treaty of 1897 with the Organized States, initially controversial, was gradually seen more positively; by the start of his reign, it was regarded as a success and at least partly responsible for the economic prosperity flourishing in the late 20s. Relations with the OS also crept in the direction of equality, when critics in the previous decade would have considered Themiclesia a de facto associated state with the OS. In 1929, the 1897 treaty was replaced with another treaty to enter effect in 1930, which removed the provision for stationing OS soldiers in Themiclesia. While the stationing of soldiers became a matter that was heavily utilized during later decades, at the time it went comparatively unnoticed and even welcome in some communities as customers. The Themiclesian Army was particularly ambivalent as to the departure of the OS forces, since their presence alleviated some demands on their own capabilities and finances.

Yet the economic prosperity floundered in the depression of the early 30s. Politics once more became divisive, and public opinion in favour of the OS dwindled; the incumbent Prime Minister found little support at home or in his party. With negative growth reported widely in 1931, he resigned under internal party pressure, leaving his deputy, Ghjwang T'jon to the reins of state. Ghjwang's early years in his premiership were difficult on Shad-tsung, as the PM slashed expenditure quotas on the imperial house by 60%; many members of the house wrote private letters to him, complaining of diminishing allowances. Though generous by any modern standard, the practice of extending an annuity to anyone descended from the seven previous emperors costed the Themiclesian state upwards of €40,000,000 (over OS$1.7 billion today), a sum the PM thought would stimulate productivity, if spent on subsidies. The young Emperor began penning replies to his relatives, explaining the fiscal difficulties using figures he had learnt from court deliberations. One such letter read in part, "You, who accept the country's benevolence, can do at least to sympathize with its difficulties and not make untimely demands" (君贍國家之貲，亦當身體時局之艱，其毋倡不時之請). The Prime Minister was surprised to find the Emperor sensitive to the direness of the circumstances at such a young age.

Perhaps the greatest threat to the dynasty came during the Nationalist Revolt of 1932. The Emperor and his immediate family was not informed of the disturbances as it occurred, but only when it was reported at court the following day. It is reported that a close attendant to the sovereign asked if the Emperor was considering embracing the remaining nationalist faction that still camped outside of the palace, which purportedly would restore much political power to the crown. Upon hearing this, the Emperor fled into the Court Hall, where the ministers were meeting, and requested sancruary. As later recalled, the Emperor said, "You must save me, because someone, by taking me hostage, wants to remove you fromoffice" (君等救我，有人挾我以廢君等). The identity of this perosn remains unknown to this day, and theories postulated by various scholars have claimed that he may have been an agent from Menghe, Maverica, or another member of the nationalist lobby that somehow infiltrated into the inner sanctum of the palace. In any event, the government agreed that the Emperor must not be subject to malicious suggestions and had him hidden on an island in the lake behind the palace.