Monarchy of Lihnidos

Empress of Lihnidos
Αυτοκράτειρα του Ληχνιδού
Imperial
Coat of arms of the Empress of Lihnidos
Incumbent
Stella II since 27 November 2007
Details
Style	Her Imperial Majesty
Heir apparent	Princess Efthymia, Duchess of Rhithasa
First monarch	Theodora
Formation	c. 1606 CE
Residence	Imperial Palace, Arcadia, Lihnidos
Website	www.imp.gov.lnd

The Empire or Lihnidos, or Lihnidosi Empire, is a constitutional monarchy in Ajax. The Empress of Lihnidos is the head of state of Lihnidos. The Empress directs the executive branch as the chief executive and holds the title Imperatoria Vilicus, or Imperial Overseer, of the National Assembly. House Vasiliou, the current imperial family, has held the title of Emperor or Empress since 1752 CE when they seized the throne following the Lihnidosi War of Succession. The current Empress is Stella II who ascended to the throne on 27 November 2007 after the death of her mother, Empress Teresa.

The Monarchy is represented by several senior members of the imperial family and at times the head of the Crown Council or appointed spokespeople. The imperial household is currently led by Empress Stella II and her husband Yorgos of Ikaria. Other prominent members of the imperial household include Princess Efthymia, Duchess of Rhithasa, Prince Spyridion, Princess Maria, and Princess Athanasia. The sister of the Empress, Princess Aleka, Grand Duchess of Thasos, is also held in high regard and considered a prominent figure in the imperial household. Members of the imperial household and their staff assume numerous official and ceremonial duties prescribed to them through the constitution and tradition handed down through generations.

The Monarchy of Lihnidos traces its origins from the city-states of early Lihnidos and the kingdoms created following independence from the Latin Empire.

History

The title of Empress was originally created in 1675 CE. The inaugural holder of the title of Empress was Empress Theodora.

The Empire of Lihnidos was first formed in 1675 after complete independence from the Latin Empire in 1054. The first breakaway from the Latin Empire was the Kingdom of Thasos in eastern present-day Lihnidos in 1043 under King Baste. Following the successful independence of the Kingdom of Thasos, additional lords declared their independence and in 1047 present-day northern Lihnidos broke away from the Latin Empire as the Kingdom of Ithaca and joined the Holy Audonian Empire. The final part of present-day Lihnidos to break away from the Latin Emprire was the Kingdom of Messenia in 1054. Following the independence of the Kingdom of Ithaca from the Holy Audonian Empire in 1641, Queen Theodora II of Thasos declared war on King Oceanus I of Ithaca in 1671 and succeeded in bringing the Kingdom of Ithaca under her control. Theodora II proclaimed the Empire of Lihnidos in 1675. In 1688 the Kingdom of Messenia, under Queen Andromeda II, entered the Empire of Lihnidos willingly as a vassal kingdom.

The federal monarchy system progressed successfully until 1752 CE. Following the death of Maria I in 1725, Empress Maria II ascended to the throne as the eldest daughter of the late Empress. Historically classified as a weak ruler, Maria II oversaw the weakening of the military and poor economic growth. The seemingly sudden turnabout from the success under her mother led many in the nobility to doubt the abilities of Maria II, and, near the end of her reign, openly questioned her fitness to rule. In 1752, Empress Maria II, along with her husband Andre of Vannois and many of her family, were assassinated in the Imperial Palace by a contingent of imperial guardsmen. Suspected to be the work of Queen Konstantina IV of Ithaca, the empire was plunged into civil war. Following the assassination of the empress and her close family, Queen Konstantina IV of Ithaca claimed the throne for herself with support from Queen Honna II of Messenia. Konstantina's quick claim to the throne led those still loyal to the late Empress Maria II to suspect her involvement in the assassinations and resulted in the loyalists refusing to recognize the claim. The combined forces from Ithaca and Messenia were able to quickly end any pro-Laskaris uprisings. However, by October of 1752, Maria II's heir, Stacia, returned from Tarsas, where she had fled with several members of her family. With her she brought an invasion force that sought to install her on the Lihnidosi throne. Konstantina, realizing she would be unable to successfully hold Lihnidos with her own forces, sought out help from Latium and some Holy Audonian Empire states under the guise of preventing Tarsan expansion into Belisaria. The collective forces of Lihnidos, Latium, and smaller states in the HAE were successful in pushing back Tarsan forces, and in May of 1755 Tarsas recognized Konstantina as the empress.

With Empress Konstantina I ascending to the throne and two of the three kingdoms falling directly under her control, the federal monarchy system was brought to an end. The once loyal Queen of Messenia was stripped of her position as Queen and given the title Grand Duchess of Messenia. Now under an absolute monarchy, Lihnidos was transformed into a unified state ruled centrally from the capital, Arcadia. The now Imperial House of Vasiliou continued to hold on to their power and the following monarchs ruled with an iron first.

The reform period of the Empire began in 1803 under Empress Selene I. Starting with an elected body of commoners to advise the empress on matters of domestic policy, the reform period progressed slowly. In conjunction with the empress, the advisory council, named simply the "Commoner Council," drafted the first version of the constitution of Lihnidos, however this draft was not officially adopted as the constitution. Despite being primarily written by the elected officials, the influence of the Empress was obvious. The powers the constitution provided the Empress were only slightly restrictive and further representation for the citizenry was small. Over time as the document was amended further rights were granted to the populace. The National Assembly was established in 1803 after Empress Selene I approved of an amendment to the document and adopted it as the Constitution of Lihnidos. The new amendment allowed for further representation of the populace in order to grant them more influence in national policy. Despite amendments being added to the constitution up until 1985, the power of the monarch was still only limited slightly. In modern Lihnidos, the monarch has authority over all branches of government in some fashion, and the powers granted to the monarch are wide ranging.

Constitutional Powers

Executive Authority

As the chief executive of Lihnidos, the monarch holds a number of executive powers granted by the constitution.

The monarch is empowered to appoint and dismiss executive branch employees as is seen fit. This includes positions such as ambassadors, department and agency directors, and other top officials that oversee large portions of executive branch operations. While also possible to appoint and dismiss minor and low level employees, the monarch rarely exercises that power. It is customary for the monarch to delegate the authority of appointing and dismissing executive branch employees to the Prime Minister on the condition that they are consulted before action is taken.

As cabinet ministers are also designated as executive branch employees, the monarch has the power to appoint and dismiss ministers as is seen fit. While ministers are commonly formally appointed by the Prime Minister, the monarch has the ability to refuse the Prime Minister's appointment of a minister if they desire. The monarch also has the ability to, although rarely used, appoint a minister without consulting the Prime Minister. In this case the Prime Minister is bypassed and the ministerial position is filled without the approval of the Prime Minister. Ministers appointed by either the Prime Minister or the monarch must be approved by the National Assembly by a majority vote after first being approved by assembly committees that oversee the ministry that the minister is being appointed to. The monarch may also dismiss ministers without consultation of the Prime Minister if desired, but often the Prime Minister is the individual to begin the dismissal of a minister in consultation with the monarch.

While the Prime Minister is considered the de facto head of the legislative branch of government, the constitution still designates the position as one under the executive branch. This means that while the Prime Minister leads the National Assembly and is chosen from among the members of the National Assembly, they are still subject to the will of the monarch. The constitution allows the monarch to reject a Prime Minister after the National Assembly has chosen one, in which case the National Assembly would be forced to go through the nomination process again and nominate another individual to be Prime Minister. Once in office, if the Prime Minister loses the trust of the monarch, they may be dismissed and the monarch may command the National Assembly to nominate another individual to serve in the position.

As the Cabinet of Lihnidos is an organization under the executive branch, the monarch is allowed to call meetings of the cabinet and chair cabinet meetings. Customarily, the Prime Minister is left to schedule and chair cabinet meetings without consultation with the monarch.

Also granted to the monarch by executive authority is the ability to draft Imperial Directives. Imperial Directives are orders that surpass the authority of the National Assembly and can direct specific actions to be taken in the executive branch. Imperial Directives are to be based off of legal authority derived from the constitution and can only be overturned by the Constitutional Court in a majority opinion. Imperial Decrees can also be used to clarify how the executive branch interprets laws passed by the National Assembly.

Along with Imperial Directives, the monarch can directly call referendums on matters deemed important to the populace without consultation with the legislative branch. This allows for the monarch to gauge the opinion of the populace on a policy or law. There are no restrictions on what can be asked in referendums, nor are they legally binding.

Also granted to the monarch under executive authority by constitutional law is the ability to grant or revoke royal titles, positions, peerages, and oversee anything having to do with the execution of royal and noble activities. The interpretation of this article in the constitution allows for the functioning of the Office of Imperial Affairs. The Office of Imperial Affairs is the managing body for the Imperial Household and employs the staff of the monarch and their direct advisors. The office is funded by the National Assembly, but the monarch is the sole supervisor of the office.

Legislative Powers

The constitution describes that monarch as the Imperatoria Vilicus, or Imperial Overseer, of the National Assembly. The position gives the monarch a number of powers with regards to the legislative process and the National Assembly itself.

As Imperial Overseer, the constitution allows for the monarch to exercise powers that have a direct impact on the National Assembly itself. The monarch is permitted to take the role as Speaker of the National Assembly if desired. While exercising the role of speaker, the speaker that the National Assembly elected is temporarily suspended of their role and is considered to have the same authority and power of all other members of the National Assembly. Alongside the power to adopt the role of speaker, the monarch is also permitted to speak to the National Assembly at any time and with no notice. If the monarch were to arrive to speak to the National Assembly unannounced, all other functions of the National Assembly would be suspended until the monarch concluded.

The monarch has the power to call special sessions of the National Assembly if required. This means that if the National Assembly were to enter recess, the monarch could, by law, require that all members return to the capital and continue exercising their role as legislators.

If the monarch loses confidence in the government, or the National Assembly as a whole, they have the ability to dissolve the National Assembly and schedule elections to take place. If this were to occur, the current government would stay in office up until elections took place and would then be replaced or retained based on the outcome of the elections and the members of the majority party or coalition.

With regards to legislation, the monarch has the ability to withhold imperial assent of passed bills and refuse to allow them to become law, effectively vetoing the legislation. A veto by the monarch cannot be overridden, making it a significant occasion for the monarch to withhold imperial assent. However, if the monarch vetos a bill approved by the National Assembly, the bill can be resubmitted in a different form, or in the same form a year later.

Judicial Powers and Legal Protections

Judicial powers of the monarch are limited in an attempt to make the judicial branch somewhat independent from the executive and legislative branches.

The primary judicial power of the monarch is to nominate judges for every court in Lihnidos. Once the monarch has nominated an individual to fill a judiciary position, the nominee must pass through the Judiciary Committee in the National Assembly. If the nominee is approved by the Judiciary Committee, the nominee is voted on by the full National Assembly and can be approved by a majority vote. The monarch typically will select judicial nominees from a list provided to them by the elected government.

The monarch is able to grant pardons and commutations. While commutations can only be granted to an individual who has already been convicted of a crime, the monarch is able to pardon any individual who is has been convicted or who is on trial for a crime. The pardons cannot be overturned and the commutations cannot be undone.

Laws that have been passed or that are being considered by the National Assembly can be referred to the Constitutional Court by the monarch. While a normal challenge of a law would have to be done after its passage and start in a lower court, the monarch is able to begin the challenge at the Constitutional Court.

Legal protections for the monarch are written into both the constitution and through laws passed by the National Assembly. The constitution protects the monarch from being prosecuted for any offense while reigning. This means, though, that if for any reason a monarch were to step down before their death, they could be prosecuted for crimes afterwards. The monarch's name and dignity are protected by lèse-majesté laws that have been passed by the National Assembly. The laws also extend to several members of the imperial family. Any offender found to be in violation of the lèse-majesté laws can face a variety of sentences, ranging from a monetary fine to time in prison.

Military Command and International Diplomacy

The monarch serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Lihnidosi Armed Forces. The monarch immediately takes command of the armed forces upon their ascension to the throne unless they are below the age of eighteen. While responsible for deciding the direction and disposition of the military, minor military decisions are often made by the Secretary of State for National Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other top military officials. The monarch will make important military decisions with advice from the Secretary of State for National Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other military advisors. The normal day-to-day operations of the military are executed by the Ministry of Defense and approved by top military officials who have been designated by the monarch.

The monarch is the sole authority in Lihnidos who can declare war on any nation or non-state actor. The declaration must be approved by a majority of the National Assembly within sixty days of the declaration. While the approval of the National Assembly is in itself a requirement by the constitution, a war declaration has never been opposed. It is widely accepted that if a war were to be declared, the National Assembly would be powerless to reverse the decision.

Alongside commanding the Armed Forces of Lihnidos, the monarch is the sole commander of the Imperial Guard. The Imperial Guard is tasked with the protection of the Imperial Family and all families of the nobility. The Imperial Guard are also tasked with ensuring the protection of all assets held by the Imperial Family or families of the nobility. While the budget of the Imperial Guard is determined by the National Assembly, the National Assembly has no official oversight abilities on the Imperial Guard nor do any traditional military officers or officials have any authority over any aspects of the Imperial Guard.

The monarch also acts as the chief diplomat of Lihnidos. They are tasked with negotiating treaties that would then be sent to the National Assembly for approval. The monarch also has final say in recognition of the legitimacy of governments or nations. Also tasked with receiving visiting dignitaries, the monarch is responsible for the well being and safety of all diplomatic staff both employed by the Lihnidos and staying as guests in Lihnidos.

Styles, Titles, and Honors

The common and simplified title of the monarch is the Emperor of Lihnidos or the Empress of Lihnidos. It is acceptable to simply call the monarch Your Majesty or Your Imperial Majesty when in conversation or when in a casual setting.

The traditional and full title of the monarch is: Her Catholic and Imperial Majesty, By the Grace of God, the Empress of Lihnidos, Queen of Thasos, of Ithaca, and of Messenia, Grand Princess of Arcadia, Duchess of Edaki, of Peirontum, of Talamis, of Olypes, of Selymna, of Pieria, of Andryn, of Evros, of Samos, of Ialocaea, and of Edacia, Countess of Lissidon, of Imbressos, and of Syros, Basileia and Savior of the Hellenic People, Most Noble Matriarch of Lihnidos, Imperial Overseer, Supreme Commander of the Lihnidosi Armed Forces, and Defender of the Faith.

The title of the monarch is considered to be constantly in flux. Titles can be added or removed at any time by royal decree. While officially being styled for a female ruler due to the majority of monarchs being female, the titles can be shifted to suit a male monarch.

Succession Laws and Regency

Main Article: Succession

Since 1755 succession to the Lihnidosi throne has been a form of elective monarchy. The reigning monarch must select an heir from among their legitimate children to serve during their reign. If the reigning monarch has no legitimate children, then they must choose one of their siblings or from the nearest collateral line. Following their selection, the Crown Council will consider the proposed heir and vote on whether or not to support the candidate the monarch chooses. If the council supports the candidate, then the candidate becomes the heir to the throne and is given the title Duke or Duchess of Rhithasa. If the candidate is found to not have the support of the council the monarch must select another candidate. Council support is decided by a simple majority, with a tied result counting as a lack of support. Votes by the Crown Council are held when the monarch first selects an heir, when the heir turns eighteen, or when the council wishes to hold vote. The council is able to call for a vote on any already approved heir if twenty-five percent of the members wish to do so. If a monarch dies before an heir is selected or given support by the council, the council will serve as a regency council and select a new monarch from those eligible. In this case, the council is expected to follow the unofficial line of succession when selecting the next monarch.

It is possible for one to forfeit or be excluded from lines of succession. All marriages of those who wish to remain eligible must have their marriage approved by the monarch. If the marriage is not approved but occurs anyway it is considered to be a forfeit of their position and eligibility. Anyone who wishes to remain eligible must refrain from holding public office. Any candidate must also be a Fabrian Catholic.

Household of H.M. the Empress

The organization of the imperial household is comprised of the Imperial Family of Lihnidos and the staff that supports and assists them in carrying out their constitutional and traditional duties. The staff of the imperial household, also known as the Office of Imperial Affairs, serve at the pleasure of the monarch and can be dismissed at any time for any reason. The head of the staff of the imperial household is the General Secretary. The General Secretary manages the rest of the staff of the imperial household and coordinates the departments within. The Office of Imperial Affairs is currently separated into eight secretariats: the Secretariat of Empress Stella II, the Secretariat of Yorgos of Ikaria, the Secretariat of Planning and Coordination, the Secretariat of Imperial Protocol, the Secretariat of Public Communication, the Secretariat of the Imperial Administration, the Secretariat of Imperial Assets and Services, and the Secretariat of Imperial Protection. Each secretariat is comprised of its own staff and leadership that answer to the General Secretary.

Prominent members of the Office of Imperial Affairs include General Secretary Althea Contou, the Administrator of Imperial Assets Achilles Galatas, the Head of the Military Chamber Arion Rodias, the Imperial Press Secretary Grigoria Mena, and the First Captain of the Imperial Guard Euryalus Glaros.

The Office of Imperial Affairs receives funding from the National Assembly after consultation with the monarch on the funds required. By constitutional law, all funds allocated for the Office of Imperial Affairs must be put towards enabling the monarch and members of the imperial family to carry out their duties and responsibilities. The money is often allocated as a lump sum to the Office of Imperial Affairs so that the monarch may determine how to properly allocate the funds among the several secretariats.

The Office of Imperial Affairs is not an official part of the government, nor does it in any way carry any legal authority. Employees of the Office of Imperial Affairs are treated as private sector employees despite having their salaries paid with government funds. No member of the administration of the Office of Imperial Affairs, minus the First Captain of the Imperial Guard, are intended to act as government employees and are not meant to attempt and usurp power from government officials. The purpose of the Office of Imperial Affairs is to advise the imperial family and enable them to fulfill their duties, as well as coordinate with government ministries and officials in order to properly allow the monarch to manage the nation.

Imperial Assets

Over the centuries that the Imperial Family has been in power a number of assets have been acquired through personal and governmental means.

Some of the most well known and prominent assets of the Imperial Family are the numerous estates and palaces that have been built or acquired. The main residence of the Imperial Family is the Imperial Palace in Arcadia. The Imperial Palace is the seat of the monarch and the palace in which most work for the government is conducted. The Imperial Palace is often where the monarch receives visiting heads of state or government and where imperial ceremonies are conducted.

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  The Imperial Palace in Arcadia is the main residence of the Imperial Family and seat of the monarch.

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  Palace Smyrnasae is the historic seat of the Dukedom of Pieria and private residence of the Imperial Family.

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  Leventi Palace is a private residence of the Imperial Family located in Cephalonia, Ithaca near the coast of Lake Poseidia.

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  Palace Kimmapeze is a private residence of the Imperial Family located in Taretus, Messenia near the border with Latium.

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  Sozantina Palace is the historic seat of the monarch of Messenia and current private residence of the Imperial Family.

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  The Royal Palace of Ithaca is the historic seat of the monarch of Ithaca and a current private residence of the Imperial Family.

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  Tasae Palace is the historical seat of the monarch of Thasos and currently in use by Princess Aleka, Grand Duchess of Thasos, the sister of the Empress.

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  The Palace of Saint Anastasios is one of the oldest palaces the Imperial Family owns. Located on the Samos island of Ititeia, the palace is designated as a Lihnidosi Historic Site and rarely used by the Imperial Family.

The Imperial Household is funded by the yearly budget passed by the National Assembly. The funds are granted directly to the Office of Imperial Affairs in order for the monarch to determine how to distribute them. The funding is constitutionally obligated to go towards the upkeep of the Imperial Household and to enabling the Imperial Family to carry out their required duties. The 2017-2018 budget granted the Imperial Household $39.5 million, up from the previous yearly allocation which granted the Imperial Household $36 million. Funding is also able to be transferred to the Imperial Household through donations or from the personal funding of members of the Imperial Family.

The Imperial Family also has a wide range of assets that are personally owned. Some of these include a fleet of private aircraft and a large number of other vehicles. The personal investment portfolio of the members of the Imperial Family are unknown, making their personal finances a mystery. There are many estimates of the total net worth of the members of the Imperial Family, some ranging from the high hundreds of millions to multiple billions of Denarii.

List of Lihnidosi Monarchs

Main Article: List of Lihnidosi monarchs