Monarchy of Rajyaghar

Maharaja of Rajyaghar
Federal
Incumbent
Incumbent since April 10th 1984
Details
Style	His Majesty
Heir apparent	Shivaji, Crown Prince
First monarch	Krishan VI
Formation	1946
Residence	Royal Palace of Kinadica, Samudra Palace
Appointer	Hereditary

The Monarchy of the Rajyaghar, is the constitutional monarchy of the Kingdom of Rajyaghar. The Monarchy is a hereditary institution with the the current monarch, Maharaja Krishan VII, ascending to the throne in 1984 following the death of his mother, Maharani Shakti III. The heir apparent to the throne, styled as the Prince of Sanyukt, is Prince Shivaji who assumed this position upon the ascension of his father. The current Royal House is the Rajana Dynasty, an ancient rajyani family which led the Sanyukti Empire, Naratha Confederacy and continues to lead the Rajana Clan and Union State of Sanyukt.

The Monarchy is a constitutional institution and its role is therefore defined by the Constitution of Rajyaghar. However, the Constitution outlines that any power not explicitly bestowed upon another institution shall automatically be presumed to belong to the Monarchy unless otherwise legislated for. The Constitution grants the Monarch sweeping powers but many of these are 'reserve powers', with most of the functions of the Monarchy being exercised by the Government or Shahee Sansad. The Monarchy continues to play an influential political role behind the scenes, settling disputes and aiding the formation of coalition governments, and has a significant military, ceremonial and diplomatic duties. The Monarch is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Rajyaghar and is also the Head of Government, with the later duties being exercised by the Premier and their Ashta Pradhan (Cabinet) who are all appointed by the Monarch. The Monarch is often aided in their ceremonial and diplomatic duties by their immediate family.

In modern Rajyaghar, the Monarchy plays an important functional role in the government and armed forces, as set out by the Constitution as well as through convention, precedent and tradition. The Monarchy also plays an important role in the tulyatan faith in Rajyaghar, despite the faith being considered an 'unorganised religion'. The Monarch is tasked with appointing, at their discretion, the High Priest of Bishnupur who is the most senior tulyatan priest in the country. This has been a duty performed by the Head of the Rajana Dynasty since 1706.

History

Despite the Monarchy of Rajyaghar being only 75 years old, the Rajana Dynasty, the ruling house, is considered to be one of the oldest reigning royal families in the world. Its origins date back to 430 CE when Rajaram I of the Jhanda Dynasty formed the Jhanda Empire. In 800 CE, the Adhenata Kayud (transl. War of Subjugation) saw the Sangma subjugate the Jhanda Empire. The ruling Jhanda Dynasty were slaughtered by the Sangma during the looting of Kismat, the Empire's capital. Only Prince Prashant, aged 7 and distant nephew of the reigning Emperor, survived. Prashant was evacuated from the city by one of the Jhandan Generals; Sunder Sirasikar. Sirasikar would flee with the young Prince to Kinadica. From Kinadica, the young Prince would sign a treaty of suzreinaty with the Sangma, officially making the Empire a subsidiary state within the Sangma. Believing the Jhanda name to be cursed, Prashant would found a new Dynasty and Clan named after the Jhanda Empire's founder, Rajaram I; the Rajana Dynasty.

The signing of the treaty of suzreainity would mark the demise of the unified land and it would soon fracture into numerous states under the Sangma. Prashant's new Rajana Dynasty would consolidate the lands surrounding Kinadica to form Sanyukt in 802. In the 11th Century, numerous polities within the Sangma fractured away to form the Madhyarajyas (middle kingdoms), which occupied what is now modern-Rajyaghar. Amongst these was the Sanyukti Raj, led by the Rajana Dynasty, who would go onto lead the Sanyukti Raj, and later Sanyukti Empire, until the formation of the Naratha Confederacy in which the Rajana Emperors would serve as the Senpatis (military leaders) and later Chhtrapatis (Emperors).

Following the Euclean invasions and subsequent colonisation of Satria, the Rajana Dynasty would continue to lead the territory of Sanyukt as 'Princes of the Colonial State of Sanyukt within Satrian Etruriana. This would continue until 1946 when the Sanyukti Prince Krishan VI was called upon by Rajyani independence leaders to lead the newly independent federal kingdom of Rajyaghar as Maharaja.

List of Monarchs

Name	Portrait	Life span	Reign start	Reign end	Length of Reign	Official Titles
Krishan VI		3rd November 1877 - 7th September 1961 (Aged 86)	17th October 1946	7th September 1961	15 years	His Majesty, Krishan III, Maharaja of Rajyaghar Sarvoch Rashak of Bishnupur "Mahatma Krishan, Bapu ke Raashtr" Krishan the Venerable, Father of the Nation
Rajaram V		2nd July 1902 - 23rd February 1963 (Aged 60)	7th September 1961	23rd February 1964	>3 years	His Majesty, Rajaram V, Maharaja of Rajyaghar Sarvoch Rashak of Bishnupur
Shakti III		28th January 1906 - 10th April 1984 (Aged 78)	23rd February 1964	10th April 1984	17 years	Her Majesty, Shakti III, Maharani of Rajyaghar Sarvoch Rashak of Bishnupur
Krishan VII		17th March 1944 (Age 76)	10th April 1984	Incumbent	36 years	His Majesty, Krishan VII, Maharaja of Rajyaghar Sarvoch Rashak of Bishnupur

Succession

Succession to the throne is strictly regualated by the Constitution of the Kingdom of Rajyaghar and through various subsequent Acts of Parliament. The Constitution lays out that the only male descendants of Krishan VI may ascend to the throne of Rajyaghar. The first Act of Parliament to add restrictions on successsion to the throne was in 1942 when the Government introduced the "Succession Act of 1942" in which it barred non-tulyatans from ascending to the throne. In 1956, Krishan VI asked the Shahee Sansad to amend the Constitution to allow the ascension of female descendants to the throne. The Amendment was passed by the Shahee Sansad and signed into effect as a Royal Decree in 1957, bypassing a national referendum.

Upon the death of the Monarch the heir to the throne immediately becomes the new Monarch, hence the phrase "The Maharaja is Dead! Long live the Maharaja!". The ascenscion of the new monarch is formally announced by the Sachiv (Secretary) of the Ashtapradhan (Council of Eight) to the Ascension Council which meets at the Royal Palace of Kinadica. In Kinadica, the Mayor announces the death of the monarch and ascension of the new monarch outside the main gates to Samudra Palace.

Memorial Arch in the centre of the Rajpath, where all Rajyani Monarchs are cremated

Upon their ascension, the new monarch is required to sign and take several oaths: the Ascension Declaration stating their willingness to ascend to the throne; an Oath of Dedication to the Constitution reaffirming their duty to protect the principles of the Constitution; and an oath that they will "maintain and preserve" the tulyatan faith as well as the "culture and society of Rajyaghar". As the Constitution derives its power from the Monarch, the new monarch does not swear an oath of allegiance to the constitution but rather swears an oath that they will defend the basic principles and spirit of the Constitution. In Rajyaghar, no oath of allegiance to the constitution is sworn, all oaths of office and allegiance are to the Monarch as they give the Constitution power.

Upon the death of a monarch, there is a period of mourning of 11 days with the cremation of the former monarch occuring on the 11th day. The cremation takes place at the Memorial Arch on the Rajpath on Government Hill. The deceased monarch is laid on a marble plinth under the roof of the Arch between the four columns. The new monarch will then light the plinth from the gap between the two north facing columns of Memorial Arch. In 2010, Memorial Arch was rennovated to house hundreds of discreet and small extractor fans so that the ashes can be collected. This was in line with Maharaja Krishan VII's wishes so that he could be cremated at Memorial Arch but then his ashes be spread over the Naratha River.