Council of the Sceptre of the Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor
The Council of the Sceptre of the Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor, also known as the Great Council of the West, is the advisory assembly in the Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor. After his coronation, King Aragorn had re-instated the Council in Fo.A. 1, and formed it from all the great lords of the realm. The Council gathers at Erukyermë, Erulaitalë and Eruhantalë each year, and whenever the High King summons the Council using a royal writ.
A scribal service, under the supervision of a specific official, assists the members of the Council of the Sceptre, preparing the material for its sessions, keeping records of its decisions and creating the necessary documents.
History
Although Númenor had a Council of the Sceptre, the origins of the present-day Council of the Sceptre date back to the establishment of the Kingdom of Gondor. While Isildur did not govern through a Council, King of Gondor Anarion governed the realm with the frame of ancient law, of which he was administrator (and interpreter) but not the lawmaker. He consulted a Council of Gondor in debatable matters of importance domestic, or external.
During the two millennia of Kings' rule, the Council of Gondor consisted of the main lords and most prominent captains and officials. The Council was presided over by the Steward of Gondor and took authority only in case of complete vacancy of the royal power. Lords of Gondor generally did not have conflicts with the Kings. The most notable exception was the Kin-Strife (T.A. 1437 - T.A. 1448), which saw large-scale rebellion against the King of Gondor by lords protesting at the perceived diminishing of the royal blood-line. Following the bloody civil war, the Council was reformed and took a full century to regain influence. The most known instance of protagonism of the Council was after the loss of Ondoher, which left it kingless in T.A. 1944.
Following the demise of the Line of the Kings, the Steward of Gondor maintained the presidency of the Council, renamed Council of the Realm. During the first centuries of absence of the King, the Council of the Realm was a very influential body. Since the rule of Ruling Steward Barahir, however, the Council of the Realm started its own decline.
At the time of the War of the Ring, the Council of the Realm was at its weakest. In all debatable matters of importance domestic, or external, however, even Denethor II held Council, and at least listened to what the Lords of the Fiefs and the Captains of the Forces had to say. As the Siege of Gondor approached, Denethor II called the Council together on 11 March T.A. 3019 and it advised him to make no stroke of war against the enemy due to the threat from the south.
Aragorn re-established the Council of the Sceptre of Gondor, expanding it to encompass the whole Reunited Kingdom. The Council of Gondor was kept in relation to the Southern Kingdom and the Council of Arnor was established in order to support the King of Arnor. Faramir, who remained by inheritance the Steward, was his chief counsellor and presided over the Council of the Sceptre. While Tar Elessar often sought the advice of the Council of the Sceptre, Tar Eldarion was more reluctant while not overtly hostile.
Functions
The High King is monarch, with the power of unquestioned decision in debate. The High King governs the realm within the frame of ancient law, of which he is chief administrator and sole interpreter, but he is the its maker in the sense that he finds in the universal justice the dictates of the human law. In all debatable matters of importance domestic, or external, however, the High King has the moral duty to listen to Lords and the Captains of the Forces have to say. The Counsellors in their capacity have the power to give advice and counsel and to make the most solemn form of law together with the High King.
The Council of the Sceptre of the Reunited Kingdom may only be convened by the High King, and usually meets in Osgiliath. While the Council does pass laws, these laws almost invariably initiate from the High King. However, he often involves both the Council of the Sceptre in the process. The primary role of the Council of the Sceptre in this process is to assist the High King and to provide insight. Often this involves debate in the Council of the Sceptre over the proposed law or an actual vote on the law. While the High King is not legally bound to accept any ruling that the Council ultimately passed, doing otherwise is very rare.
In addition, the Council of the Sceptre serves as a judicial court. It is used to try some cases of high treason and certain ordinary crimes as well.
Legislative function
Whilst the High King is in full power to make decrees and rescripts, the formation of the law passes through the Council of the Sceptre or, if the law affects only one constituent kingdom, through the Council of that relevant Kingdom.
First, the High King or, more frequently, a Great Officer of the Realm on High King's mandate, presents a formal proposal of law. Counsellors traditionally may directly present proposals of law only during the High King's minority. When the High King actually reigns, the individual lord may petition the High King for approval of the proposal of law.
The proposal of law is then assigned to a committee selected by the High King or, more frequently, by the Steward for preliminary study. The proposer seeks consensus rather than a formal approval. Once the consensus is formed, the proposal of law is presented before the Council to be debated. If no formal objections are made in three sessions of the Council, the law is passed. If at least one formal objection is made, the proposal is voted on. In order to become law, the proposal needs the simple majority of those attend the voting session. If the matter is of capital importance, the proposal of law needs the absolute majority of the members of the Council of the Sceptre.
Composition
The Council of the Sceptre is the restrict and select royal advice and support body. The High King may appoint anyone a Counsellor of the Sceptre. Usually, the Council of the Sceptre consists of princes and lords of each of the Kingdom's separate lands, of the High King's heir, and of the Steward and the Great Officers of the Realm as well. Justices of the King's Hearing and all chief judges of the sees of the High Court of Justice also join the Council of the Sceptre ex officio. Currently, all Hîratarin also sit in the Council of the Sceptre.
The Council of the Sceptre mostly consists of statesmen and officials, ranging from the most important statesmen such as the Steward to provincial governors and retired civil servants. Membership is conferred for life. The death of the High King brings an immediate dissolution of the Council. The sovereign may also remove an individual from the Council of the Sceptre if he or she falls out his favour. Individuals can choose to resign, sometimes to avoid expulsion. It is important to note that being a member of the Council of the Sceptre is generally an additional career for most of the Council's members, who usually possess important positions within the administrative machinery of the Kingdom of the West.
Membership
The Council of the Sceptre consists of 100 Counsellors. They do not coincide with the Counsellors of Gondor and of Arnor: some members of the Council of the Sceptre are not part of the Councils of the constitutent Realms, and vice-versa. There are 26 members of the Council by right:
- The King's Heir;
- The Steward of Arnor and Gondor;
- The Great Officers of the West;
- The Lord Lieutenant of Enedwaith;
- The Lord Lieutenant of Rhovanion;
- The Gonfaloniers of the King of the Provinces of Arnor;
- The Lord Lieutenants of the Royal Provinces of Gondor;
- The Lord Presidents of the internal provinces of Gondor.
Members by right of the Council of the Sceptre bear the additional title of Arod. They are also members of the Councils of Arnor and of Gondor according their origins.
Additional members are customarily chosen among:
- Army captains ranking High-Captain, Army Leader and General;
- Navy captains ranking Admiral of the Fleet, Admiral and Lord-Captain;
- Officials ranking Referendary, Secretary and Chartulary;
- The Governors of Osgiliath, Pelargir, Annúminas and Fornost Erain;
- The Mayor of Michel Delving, the Thain of the Shire and the Master of Buckland;
- Lords of the West ranking Hîratar and Herenya;
- Distinguished masters of lore and traditions.
A coherent but not homogeneous group
Bodorhir of Osgiliath in Fo.A. 34 gives us the list of the dignitaries and officials who made up the Council of the Sceptre. In this official list, there are the Great Officers of the West, who occupy one of the twnty-six high offices, military as well as civilian, enumerated by Bodorhir in its treaty on dignities. The Council of the Sceptre thus brings together the elite of the court, the army and the state.
It is therefore a more complex group than it appears, bringing together people who owe their place in the court for a variety of reasons: kinship with the High King, royal favour, or merit. The only common feature of all these high figures is that they hold a title bestowed on them by the High King and which assigns them a special place and function in the political community.
All of those which precede constitute the order of the councillors, in which are gathered all the dignitaries and the functionaries who compose the Council of the Sceptre.
Bodorhir introduces yet another distinction within this group: he uses the expressions of "the great personages of the Council". Only the great figures of the Council receive the honour of having a seat with the High King in official banquets. These great dignitaries are fourteen in number: the King's Heir and some selected grand officers, as well as the most trusted advisors.
But some of the "great personages" have to be excluded too. Indeed, the honour of eating with the High King at the Dome of the Stars or at the Tower of Dusk is reserved for dignitaries whose rank is even higher than the select group. At the level of the latter seems to be a dividing line separating high officials from very high officials.
What similarity can there be between the senior but subordinate official or the aristocrat on one hand and the powerful magistrate on the other at the top of the hierarchy? There are two. The first is the High King. Both, in fact, received their title by the High King and both, thanks to this title - this is the second common point - can penetrate inside the palace.
Great Council of the West
On occasion, the High King summons all counsellors of all his three Councils together, as well as some foreign powers. This assembly is known as Great Council of the West, and includes the King of Rohan, the King of Dale and the seven lords of Rhovanion. The Great Council meets usually once a year in the Dome of the Sun in the Sixth Circle of Minas Anor.