Five Regent Houses

The five Regent Clans, alternatively called Regent Families or Regent Houses (摂政氏 Sessho-shi, 'Regent Clans') are the dominant governing nobility of Hakuryou, by nature of both their widescale influence in national politics and their constitutionally and culturally enshrined exclusivity in providing candidates for the position of Shogun. The Regent Houses are the most significant and politically powerful families in Hakuryou and enjoy significant privilege in social and political schemes.

Succession and Inheritance

See also: Nobility in Hakuryou
The Imperial Peerage Accord of 1761 required all noble houses including the Imperial Clan to follow a rule of absolute primogeniture. While this law was extremely unpopular with noble families at the time, the leadership provided by a number of female lords at the time- most notably, Takamura Yukiho, who lead Takamura forces through the entirety of the Sakamoto Revolt- allowed the idea to become acceptable at the negotiating table and has remained in place since. Accordingly, all Regent houses follow absolute primogeniture based on the firstborn child.

Inheritance to the family name is usually limited to those within two generations of the current head of the clan- second children and their children may inherit the family name and be entitled to its privileges, however the grandchildren of second childs do not inherit the family name and are relegated to tozama status.

Families

The current Regent Houses include Suda, Gosankyo, Takamura, Isuzu, and Shinonono.

Suda

Suda Clan (須田氏, Suda-shi) is the oldest of the established Regent Houses, and is descended from the line of Suda TBD, who lead an exodus of his remaining family members following their defeat at the hands of Murakami Kenshin. Suda, along with Gosankyo and Takamura, have remained as Regent Houses since the inception of the system, and along with them is known as a Founding Clan (創設氏, Sousetsu-shi). Suda is known as an extremely traditional clan and has been accused of infanticide of unwanted female heirs, a claim vehemently denied by the house. Suda and their fudai vassals control much of Hakuryou's heavy industry.

Gosankyo

Gosankyo Clan(ご山居氏, Gosankyo-shi) is one of the Founding Clans along with Suda and Takamura, and along with Suda is the other major clan who emigrated from Nifon in the aftermath of the Sonjo War. Gosankyo is known as a moderate group, and as regular patrons of the arts as well as real estate barons. Gosankyo is the incumbent Shogunate house, with Gosankyo Daichi reigning as Shogun since 1982.

Takamura

Takamura Clan (篁氏, Takamura-shi) is the youngest of the Founding Clans, forming from an offshoot of the TBD clan of samurai and being elevated to high status following their military leadership in the Southern Expansion Wars. The Takamura clan are reknowned for strong martial attitudes and is unusual for training all members of their family- including female issue- in a rigorous set of military training, and is unique in requiring its female members to become military members. Takamura Clan has consistently produced noteworthy officers who have served both in the Imperial Armed Forces and the Imperial Royal Guard. Takamura is heavily involved in mining, foresting and construction industries.

Isuzu

Isuzu Clan (依鈴氏, Isuzu-shi) is the most recently elevated Regent clan, elevated to status after the disgrace and Imperial desacrilization of Shirogawa clan in the face of their defeat in the Second Great War. The Isuzu are considered the most liberal-minded of the Regent houses and are heavily invested in mercantile and trade interests, and are the only clan to allow their members to regularly marry outside of the nobility. As of current, Isuzu is the only Regent clan to have not held the Shogunate at least once.

Shinonono

Shinonono Clan (篠ノ之氏, Shinonono-shi) was raised to prominent status following the massacre of Clan Sakamoto by Shiroihata insurgents in 1886. As a retainer of Sakamoto, and later Takamura, Shinonono armies were crucial in the defeat of Imperial forces and were recognized by the insistence of Takamura clan in the peace accords. Shinonono has invested heavily into agricultural interests.

Former Regent Houses

Two Regent houses have existed that no longer maintain the role- Shirogawa, and Sakamoto. Both were founding clans.

Shirogawa

Shirogawa Clan (白側氏, Shirogawa-shi) was a clan heavily invested into shipbuilding and mercantile activities, and thus was a major proponent of the Imperial Navy. Sakamoto Suguru was Shogun during the time of the Second Great War, where Hakuryan advances were repeatedly blunted and eventually defeated. Sakamoto's attempts to repress popular dissent nearly lead to open rebellion until he was deposed and his clan desacrilized, though some of his descendents exist in various segments as tozama royalty. They were replaced by Isuzu as a Regent house.

Sakamoto

Sakamoto Clan (坂本氏, Sakamoto-shi) was a retainer clan of Suda, who inhabited the mountainous regions and were dedicated to spiritual and religious causes. The Sakamoto family was massacred at the hands of Emperor Jimsei when they came before him to address grievances, directly inciting the expansion and naming of the Sakamoto Revolt in their name. While they technically did not exist when the Regent Houses were later established in 1777, the agreement of their place in such an order was decided before their demise and they are considered among the Founder Houses for this reason.