Ministry (Themiclesia)
The Themiclesian ministry consists of ministers who constitute the executive branch of the central government and are accountable to parliament. The ministry is nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch. Under the principle of responsible government, the ministry derives its authority from parliamentary support, and in default whereof must either seek a general election or collectively resign.
The term "ministry" used in this sense is different from that in the name of a government department or office, such as the Ministry of Defence.
History
While Themiclesian monarchs have appointed officers in an elaborate bureaucracy to perform a broad range of tasks or make decisions on his behalf, the concept of a co-ordinated executive power distinct from the hereditary office of the monarch only appeared in the Themiclesian Republic (1410 – 1503), where the prolonged absence of a monarch necessitated an officer to discharge some aspects of the office under the supervision of an aristocracy. Previously, ministers, even with broad authority, were indistinct from other members of the bureaucracy and could legally be appointed and dismissed by the monarch at will. Additionally, there was generally one chief minister in charge of most of the government, whose relationship with the throne varied from time to time. Yet during the Republic, the royal court split into several departments.
The structure of the Themiclesian state evolved rapidly following the Civil War of 1510 – 30, the Restored Ngwets of 1530 – 1575, and the Tyranny of 1575 – 1602. During these turbulent periods, centralized administration of cities and counties disintegrated, and pretenders became reliant on the support of large landowners to raise revenues and men.