Domnitor (Arciluco)

Domnitor of the Solarians
Ⰴⱁⰿⱀⰹⱅⱁⱃⱆⰾ Ⱄⱁⰾⰰⱃⰹⰾⱁⱃ Domnitorul Solarilor
Imperial
First in Office Cyriacus I 8 May 425 – 10 February 470
Details
First monarch	Cyriacus I
Last monarch	Cosmin the Reckless
Formation	8 May 425
Abolition	20 October 1340
Residence	Silver Palace, White Citadel
Appointer	Non-specified, de facto elective with hereditary lines
Pretender(s)	Mihai II of Amathia (symbolic title)

Domnitor (Apsinthian:Ⰴⱁⰿⱀⰹⱅⱁⱃ) was the official title of the ruler of the Empire of Arciluco, a Solarian rump state in the borders of today's Amathia, most often used in the form of Domnitor of the Solarians (Ⰴⱁⰿⱀⰹⱅⱁⱃⱆⰾ Ⱄⱁⰾⰰⱃⰹⰾⱁⱃ, Domnitorul Solarilor). The title is considered in Amathian to be a synonym for that of emperor, and its rank was generally recognized at the time in the region. Due to its adoption later on by other nations, and due to the cultural differences and rivalries between Western and Eastern Euclea, the title has also sometimes been translated to that of "King" especially in Catholic literature.

The first ruler who claimed the title in Amathia was Cyriacus the Elder, the last officially appointed Solarian governor of the province of Amathia. Cyriacus remained loyal to the central imperial authority until its collapse, and afterwards he managed to maintain his rule in the remains of the province. Increasingly isolated from the Solarian homelands by the Marolev invasions, Cyriacus eventually claimed the Solarian imperial title for himself, beginning the line of Arcilucan emperors. One of his successors, Eligiu the Holy, adopted Sotirianity as the state's official religion, and by the end of his direct dynasty, the Arcilucan state had fully emerged as a Solarian entity, centered at Arciluco, with a distinct Western Solarian culture.

Throughout the existence of their realm, the Arcilucan rulers continued to use the High Solarian variant of their titles, Dominus and Imperator. However, the relative isolation of the Amathian population and the natural evolution of their language from Vulgar Solarian into Proto-Amathian eventually led to a situation where the Arcilucan rulers were forced to also adopt the popular, Amathian variants of their titles, with Celiu II as the first ruler to mint coins with the title of "Domnitorul Solarilor".

Nearby Piraea also had important cultural influences which led to the adoption of some Piraean titles, but just as important was the Marolevic influence of the young state. As an island of Solarianism in a Marolevic sea, the Amathians had to constantly interact with the Marolevic tribes and entities around them, through warfare, through missionary activities and through Arciluco's attempts to impose its rule in its region. The assimilation of many Marolevic tribes and the cultural and linguistic influence of the Marolevs also eventually lead to the adoption of titles with Marolevic origins, but those titles were generally used only in the relation between the rulers and their Marolevic subjects, and were missing from the official titles present on coinage. Unlike the general population, the Arcilucan rulers maintained the use of the Solarian alphabet, only adopting the Apsinthian alphabet alongside it, and continuing to use both until the end of the Arcilucan realm.

The standard imperial formula of the Arilucan rulers was "Io, [Emperor's name], in Sotiras the God and through the Grace of the Holy Trinity, Domnitor of the Sotirians" (Amathian: "Io, [numele împăratului], în Sotiras Dumnezeul și prin Grația Sfintei Treimi, Domnitor al Solarilor").

Etymology

The title is derived from the Solarian title Dominus, through the Amathian word domn (lord or ruler). The archaic practice was to place the title behind the ruler's name, and as such the word "domn" itself evolved into an honorary suffix of sorts, being attached to the names of the rulers. "Cosmin Domnitorul" was then also known simply as "Cosmin-Domn".

Succession

The succession to the Silver Throne was a very complicated and convoluted matter, dictated by the difficult history of the Arcilucan realm. Cyriacus and his successors attempted to impose a succession based on hereditary right, one which could have perhaps evolved in a similar manner to the primogeniture succession that eventually was adopted throughout Eastern Euclea. The competing interests of the nobility and of the Episemialist Church, the interference of the army, the influence of the provincial governors, the revolts of federated groups of barbarians and attempts by nearby states to influence the succession to the throne led to a system that was very well organized and incredibly chaotic at the same time.

In theory, dynastic rule was enforced, but the vague definition of the ruling family and of the principle of heredity means that the dynastic succession in Arciluco was often different from that practiced in other contemporary realms. Domnitors were chosen from any family branch, regardless of their relation to the previous Domnitor - the only requirement was for them to be descended from Cyriacus the Elder, to have what was called os de domn, "of Domnitor marrow", or as having heregie, "heredity", a term derived from the Solarian hereditas. In practice, this meant that anyone related to the ruling family could potentially claim the throne, even the bastard sons of rulers and the descendants of those bastard sons. This also led to the creation of a higher nobility, the so called "blood nobility" (nobilime de sânge), related to the Cyriacan dynasty and which could claim the throne. As such, every new ruler, especially in the later period of the Arcilucan realm, was constantly challenged by usurpers.One of the few benefits of this system is that it made no difference between male and female members of the dynasty. While most of the nobility would have certainly still rejected any female claimants of the throne, Arciluco had a few notable female rulers, most of which started as regents which managed to strengthen their position and to either ascend to co-emperorship or to rule directly.

While Cyriacus designated his own successor, who was accepted by the entire realm, the rulers who followed after them attempted the follow the old Solarian practice of being acclaimed by the army and accepted by the senate. Eligiu the Holy, by recognizing the authority of the Patriarch of Arciluco also involved the Church in the process of succession. The death of Eligiu without any direct heirs led to a crisis, which was eventually solved by Felix I, the younger brother of Eligiu who gained the throne with the support of all the aforementioned powers.

In time, this led to the creation of the Arcilucan elective system. Upon the death of a Domnitor, his heir was chosen by the Great Gathering of the Realm (Marea Adunare a Țării/Marea Congregație a Țării), an assembly that was supposed to express the will of the entire realm. The representatives chosen to this Great Gathering were the Patriarch and members of the Holy Synod, the Great Logofăt and members of the senatorial aristocracy, the provincial military governors, and important members of the imperial bureaucracy, who were supposed to represent the lower classes. Any member of the ruling family could present his or her claim, and in the end the Great Gathering chose the next Domnitor. Early on, the Domnitor had to be chosen by all the members of the Great Gathering, but the increased instability in later Arciluco meant that many rulers ascended to the throne with only a simple majority of votes.