Declaration of Supremacy
The Declaration of Supremacy was an instrument issued in 1531 by Emperor Qrut I before the Council at Sin, declaring that none shall question his dynasty's legitimacy on the grounds of a lack of Menghean authorization.
The historical context of the declaration was that following the 1385 siege of Kien-k'ang by Menghean general Cho Myong-wŏn, Emperor ′Ei of Themiclesia was compelled to cancel his title in deference to the Yi dynasty Emperor and accept the title of Prince of Ter-tanh awarded by the latter. ′Ei subsequently offered tributary payments to the Menghean court until he was deposed by Themiclesian nobles owing to his pernicious administration in old age. Unwilling to allow the Yi emperor to meddle in Themiclesian politics, the nobles declared a regency for the deposed ruler, now called the Themiclesian Republic. This poliitcal arrangement fell apart at the beginning of the 16th century and devolved into civil war.
Qrut I (上中兄乙) was established in Sin following his successful campaign to dissolve the Themiclesian Republic in the civil war. As the Republic was, in contemporary legal theory, termed as a regency for the emperor who had been deposed in 1410, there were such parties who questioned the legal continuity of authority from the previous dynasty to Qrut's dynasty. One argument that highlights the absence of legal continuity is that the deposed ruler of the previous dynasty, ′Er, had been indorsed by the Menghean crown, while Qrut has not, allowing conspirators to disseminate the theory that a requisite element of a Themiclesian prince's legitimacy is the endorsement of the Menghean crown.
The Declaration of Supremacy, subscribed by all the nobles who attended the Council called to Sin, overtly asserted that such a position is "an error", since ′Er's submission to the Menghean crown was not a reconstitution of ′Er's own crown, but a treaty that created a political relationship between two pre-existing crowns, the sources of whose authorities remained unaltered.
It is not known who proposed that Qrut should be considered illegitimate on the grounds that he lacked the endorsement of the Menghean crown, but some historians hold that such an objection was otherwise unknown and should be interpreted to represent a last-ditch effort to denigrate Qrut's administration for a reason that he could not possibly rectify. Other historians point to the presence of the Sudok Chŏndo religion in Themiclesia, which still recognized the power of the Menghean crown in a spiritual capacity, as the target of this proclamation; however, this interpretation is challenged by the paucity of the adherents of that religion and their relevance at court.
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In recent days, We have been made aware that there are those who deny our legitimate authority and position in Our realm, because they think that We were not established by the Yi prince, whereas our predecessor Emperor ′Ei of the Fallen Shrine (皇啻哀墬宗中兄), also called the Prince of Ter-tanh (辰旦王) by the Yi prince (義君), has been so established in the 20th year of his reign. Being advised by Our Peers, Barons, Representatives, and Officials (白矦壬徹里君), We declare and publish to all and sundry, that the source of Our authority is indistinguishable and the very same as that of all the princes who formerly have held the authority of state in this land, and comes to Us in the very same way, and therefore Our authority, power, and position are as the very same and supreme as they have been. The actions of the Yi prince and the princes and lords in his court (義君于厥各廷君), being of recent date, cannot alter the nature of that Our power and Our accession to it, being are the same as aforesaid, whatever name, style, or title being written or said.
The Baron of Per, recording the common opinion of all the lords of the land now meeting at Sin, informed Us of their opinions, and the Baron of Ku asked for Our permission to promulgate the same. We have been pleased to give Our assent to the same and do command and enjoin all Our subjects to hear and understand this Our proclamation.