Coronation of the current emperor of Themiclesia
The current emperor of Themiclesia succeeded to the throne on Dec. 11, 2016, upon the raising of ritualistic lamentation for death of his predecessor and great-grandfather Emperor Hên′. On that day and subsequently, several ceremonies were held to confirm his status as sovereign of Themiclesia at home and to foreign states.
Death of Emperor Sk′ên′
Emperor Sk′ên′ died on Dec. 4, 2016, due to multiple organ failure, at the age of 101 years. Since his death was unexpected, his successor was visiting foreign states at the time and swiftly flown to Kien-k'ang. Due to historic dangers of uncertainty, Themiclesian law provided that until the ritualistic lamentation was raised, the emperor's death is to be concealed; the implication is that a successor is already procured and at hand, since only the successor can raise the lamentation. In actuality, the emperor's passing was widely reported as soon as signs, such as general cancellations of audiences and shutting of the palace gates, were noticed.
The responsibilities of the emperor fell to the House of Lords during the interregnum. The houses of parliament, then in prorogation, were summoned to meet on Dec. 12, 2016; the press therefore speculated that the new emperor would come to the throne publicly on that day. During this time, the royal seals were kept under the custody of the Clerks of the House, supervised by the Attorney-general. The practices immediately after the emperor's passing have been described as archaic, though it is stated the last demise occurred more than 90 years ago, and laws were not amended during Sk′ên′s reign.
Sk′ên′s body was dressed by close attendants and laid in five successive sarcophagi. These were transferred from the Casaterran Annexe, where Sk′ên′ died, to the east end of the Front Hall. The First Lord-in-waiting performed the pjuk rite, where a piece of Sk′ên′s clothing was suspended on a frame before the hall. According to researchers of the state cult, this rite developed from attempts by supernatural healers to recall the spirit of the deceased. The current emperor arrived on Dec. 5, during the pjuk rite. On Dec. 7, the Rite of the Incense was conducted by the current emperor, placing incense burners around the sarcophagi. On Dec. 8, 9, and 10, the First, Second and Third Sacred Spell of Protection were chanted at night by the Royal Chorus.
Around midnight on Dec. 11, the current emperor performed the rjam rite, placing food, clothing, jewellery, and Sk′ên′s personal belongings into the five sarcophagi. The Society of Traditional Dancers were invited to perform the traditional mjanh dance around the sarcophagi. The significance of the mjanh dance is uncertain.
In the early morning of Dec. 12, the seventh day after Sk′ên′s passing, delegations from both houses of Parliament, all government ministers, and senior members of the civil service met in the Front Hall under the guidance of the Comptroller of Ceremonies. He and the Chancellor of Tsjinh (always the Prime Minister) submit an instrument to the current emperor an instrument prepared by the House of Lords to shift the sarcophagi from the east end of the hall to the west in the prjin rite. The current emperor accepted the instrument and joined the assembly to move them. Cultically, this is the point when the preceding monarch "dies", since all ceremonies before were technically attempts to revive Sk′ên′.
Proceedings at the House of Lords
After this, Prince La was led by the Comptroller of Ceremonies to the antechamber of the Kaw-men Hall, where the House of Lords has assembled. Prince La stood centre at the house's bar, flanked by the Chancellor on his left and Attorney-general left. Before the bar, the Chancellor said, "I beg with the utmost sorrow and regret to inform this house that the late sovereign, Emperor and King of Tsjinh, has died despite all effort to restore his life." He then tabled the motion on behalf of the successor to raise the ritualistic lamentation for Sk′ên′. The entire house concurred and resolved to "publish the loss of the sovereign first to the honourable House of Commons and to the Government."
The Marshal of Peers then took Sk′ên′s prepared will on a large scroll and read it from the throne. The will charges the royal household, peers, and the Government to follow established laws regarding the succession and concludes with the words, "let all the peers fail not to obey our final command" (眔侯勿灋朕末令). He then stepped away from the throne and tabled the will before the house, with the motion that "this house recognize the document that has now been read by the Marshal of Peers as the final, lawful, and true will of the late sovereign and publish said document to the honourable House of Commons and to the Government." The Marshal of Peers then appointed a panel of 17 peers to be the La's guardian. The house concurred unanimously and adjourned for the day, while the will was left on the table.
On Dec. 13, the following day, the house assembled in full dress with white linens across their coronets and shoulders, symbols of mourning. The Marshal of Peers received permission from the house to command the 17 peers to retrieve Prince La from his ad hoc chambers and bring him to the bar, where the testamentary charge is then read to him, as follows:
The Emperor commands Prince La: after we have died, we command you to take the emperor's place, to reign over this state, and bring light to the four quarters. When you command all the rulers and peers and even the peoples to aid your affairs, you shall obey the old customs and laws of the state; when you command the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, Attorney-general, Privy Councillors, and all the Counsels and Directors to execute your affairs, you shall obey the old customs and laws of the state; do not abandon this our final command.
Prince La, also in mourning attire, bowed his head to the throne. The Chancellor took La's right arm in his chest, and the Attorney-general his left. The peers then rose from their seats and helped the prince to the throne.
The symbols of rulership are presented to the new monarch in the order of precedence amongst senior officials:
- The Chancellor placed the l′ong-l′in-korh (royal crown of Themiclesia), crimson sash, and jade seal of reigning princes on La's head and waist respectively. The new sovereign bowed his head and said to the Chancellor, "My lord the Chancellor has laboured for the sake of my realm. I thank you for your troubles."
- The Vice Chancellor presented a tray of seals of office that represented the civil service. The monarch also bowed his head and replied, "My lord the Vice Chancellor may assure his subordinates that I have no intention of altering the accustomed forms and rules. I thank you for your troubles."
- The Justiciar of Themiclesia presented the keys to the Royal Archive of Statutes.
- The Inner Administrator, Secretary of State for Finance, presented a Book of Account, containing the census and items submitted for royal use by local councils.
- The President of the Privy Council presented a list of household officials and census of royal properties.
- The Comptroller of Ceremonies presented the keys to the National Library, Themiclesian Library of Medicine, Central Music Archive, and Museum of Themiclesian History.
- The Comptroller of the Lineage presented the revised family tree of the royal house reflecting his ascension as head of household.
- The Attorney-general presented a tray of credentials that represented control over Themiclesia's armed forces.
At the end of the presentment, the President of the Privy Council bowed to the throne and asked the new monarch to hold court at the Front Hall, so that "his ascension shall be known throughout the land."
Procession
The new emperor was led from the throne in the House of Lords chamber by the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, and the Chief Royal Counsel (the most senior lawyer in Themiclesia), with Privy Concillors, Lords-in-waiting, Principal Counsels, peers, and other individuals following. At the gate of the house, he ascends the rjon′ (輦) vehicle, similar to a one-axled chariot but pulled by humans. His co-passenger is the Master of the Horse, while the two Keepers of the Stables pull the vehicle to descend from the hall. A large umbrella is carried by an official of the household over the emperor's head.
As the new emperor was receiving his regalia in the Kaw-men Hall, several groups have come to line to corridor between that place and the Front Hall. The first group consisted of the officials of the royal household, namely the Gentlemen-in-waiting, royal chefs, gardeners, stable-keepers, etc. They were flanked by the Gentlemen-at-arms, the monarch's retinue and bodyguard; according to custom, they removed the jade tips from their spears and genuflected for the monarch. He then adopted the l′jek position, placing his hands on the front railing of the vehicle and nodding, to acknowledge their obeisance.
The second group consisted all members of parliament that chose to be present. The Speaker of the House of Commons delivered a short address to the monarch, prepared by his office and voted upon by the house. The address included condolences for the loss of the late sovereign, the current emperor's great-grandfather, and urged him to take the throne in accordance with the late emperor's testamentary charge and in memory of his father and grandfather, both of whom predeceased the late sovereign. The emperor descended the carriage and accepted the manuscript, bowing to the MPs, many of whom bowed back.
The third group was composed of the directors of institutions that receive royal patronage, including museums, clubs, farms, hospitals, academic societies, and other institutions.
Homage
The monarch entered the Front Hall from the Gate of Myriad Springs. The Gentlemen-at-arms gurading the gate bowed their knees when the carriage ascended the ramp and passed them. Within the courtyard, 2,345 senior members of the civil service, judges, heads of universities and schools, and other prominent individuals have gathered according to rank. As soon as the carriage entered the courtyard, the Ceremonial Orchestra (外樂) began playing a traditional, 200-piece ensemble. Royal Counsels and emeriti each raised their staffs to signal the sovereign's ingress. Many bowed when the emperor passed, and he too bowed his head to acknowledge them. The royal carriage turned right and ascended the Host Ramp (阼階), and the emperor dismounted and walked into the canopy throne, helped by Lords-in-waiting, on the east end of the hall. The music stopped when emperor took his seat.
The Comptroller of Ceremonies then directed the Chief Usher (大謁者) to direct the guests who wished to pay homage to enter the throne hall according to their ranks. The first to do homage to the newly-enthroned sovereign is his grandmother. She bowed her head, while the emperor also bowed his, and handed her congratulatory message to the First Lord-in-waiting to be read. As she is senior to the monarch, she is not required to read her message by herself.
I, Ro, Agnate Prince Long's spouse, submit congratulations: may Your Majesty have ten-thousand thousands years of life.
She and the emperor exchanged bows again, before she steped away from the throne and took the second canopy. The emperor's mother did likewise and took the third canopy. After them, the emperor's grand-uncles, grand-aunts, uncles, and aunts each read their own congratulatory messages and took their seats next to the throne; the emperor addressed them as "my fathers" and "my mothers". After the senior members of the royal family came the emperor's younger brother, Prince N.rung, and sister, Princess Hjakw. Junior members of the family were presented as a single group, whom the emperor identified as "my children". They stood flanking the throne after doing homage.
After junior members of the royal family, representatives of the royal clan were presented as a single group. They were chosen by household officials amongst distant royal relatives who were distinguished in some way, though the criteria were never published. The emperor made a controversial statement by promising them "glory and exaltation" (尊顯榮華). The royal household clarified afterwards the statement was simply copied from previous coronations and had no substantive meaning.
The Prime Minister, as Chancellor of Tsjinh, next paid homage.
The first ministers and Chancellors of the associated states, representing Themiclesia's ethnic minorities, offered their congratulations to the new sovereign. They read addresses from their legislatures, or executives if the legislature was not in session, requesting the emperor "to observe all treaties, customs, and liberties between the royal court and their home states that the alliance of a thousand generations may be renewed for a thousand generations."
The Foreign Secretary, as Vice Chancellor of Tsjinh, did the same after them.
The Peers of Themiclesia then did likewise to the new sovereign individually, in reverse order of dynasties, then within each dynasty in order of creation. The congratulatory message includes the phrase "as my progenitors have served Your Majesty's royal progenitors, so shall I serve Your Majesty." To this, the sovereign responded with "My lord, as my progenitors have rewarded your progenitors for their advice and support, so shall I observe the same for yours." The Marshal of Peers was the first to pledge allegiance, and after him the Lord of Gup, who was enfeoffed in 1548; the oldest extant line dates from 533, the Lord of Nar. The ordinary peers came before the titular peers.
The President of the Board of Counsels of Themiclesia followed the peers and promised to protect the emperor's impartial conscience. Following him were the Prolocutor of the Themiclesian Bar and the President of the Association of Accountants.
The Principal Counsels followed the President of the Counsel Board. Unlike the previous coronation which followed the traditional order of precedence, the offices filled by ministers were above those with civil servants or household officials. The Secretary of State for Appropriations, as Inner Administrator and Privy Treasurer, pledged allegiance at the head of the Principal Counsels. Then came the Comptroller of Ceremonies, held by the Secretary of State for Culture. The Lord Chief Justice, the Chief Justice of Appeal, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court each promised to make impartial judgments and to treasure the royal power of justice. The Inner Marshal, currently the Under-Secretary for Defence Procurement, followed him, then did the Marshal of Royal Guards, now the Under-Secretary for Air, and then the Marshal of Passes, held by the Minister of State. Two Under-Secretaries of the Foreign Office, as Comptroller of Embassies and Comptroller of States, respectively, did homage after the Marshals.
The President of the Privy Council followed them, filled by the eldest surviving former prime minister. All previous prime ministers, as Privy Councillors, followed him, and then the Councillors-at-Large, consisting of former ministers and other distinguished individuals. Next came the Marshal of the Gentlemen, the Cavalry-Captain, and the Gentlemen-Captains. The Chief Usher followed them. Next came the Comptroller of the House, the chief officer of the royal household. Then came the Master of the Horse and Comptroller of Works.
Next followed the Speaker of the House of Commons, leading a group of 200 MPs who volunteered to pledge allegiance to the throne. They were followed by the Royal Librarian.
Following him, the prefectures were represented either by their elected leaders or a delegate elected by its legislature. Their congratulatory messages were drafted individually and read before the throne.
Next came a series of military or quasi-military officers accorded the 2,000-bushel civil service rank beofre the mid-1800s; subsequent separation between military and civilian ranks left newer military offices without rank at court. The first amongst them was the Warden Ultra-Fluvial, a ceremonial officer registering all nomadic bands beyond the River Kaung. Next came the Marine Prefect, whose vestigial military duty is to determine if a wooden ship may be built with trees in public forests. Next came the General of the Colonial Army, now held by Major-General Snga. Five admirals, composing the Admiralty Board that oversaw the navy, next pledged allegiance to the throne. The Colonel-general of Signals, the ceremonial leader of the Royal Signals Corps, followed them. The Captain-general of Marines next did likewise.