James, 6th Earl of Amin
| His Excellency, the Right Honourable
James Taylor | |
|---|---|
| Born | 29 May 1997 Aminburgh, Erin Kingdom of Vionna |
| Title | Earl of Amin |
| Tenure | 17 June 2015 - Incumbent |
| Other titles | Baron Elinmylly, Thegn of Denkilly Castle |
| Nationality | Vionnan (Erin) |
| Residence | Aminburgh Castle |
| Offices | Governor-General of Owaya |
| Predecessor | Lord Owain Taylor |
| Occupation | Colonial Official, Soldier |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  Vionna-Frankenlisch |
| Branch |  Imperial Army |
| Years of service | 2015 - present |
| Rank | Brigadier |
Lord James Taylor, 6th Earl of Amin, is a Vionnan nobleman, soldier and colonial official. He is currently serving as Governor-General of the Colony of Owaya and has been in this position since August 2018. Appointed to the position of Governor-General at the age of 21, he is the youngest person to serve as such in the Frankenlischian Empire and Commonwealth. Born in 1997, James ascended to the Earldom of Amin in 2015 upon the death of the previous Earl, his father Owain.
Early Life
Born in Aminburgh on 29th May 1997, James is the eldest son of Lord Owain Taylor and his wife Lady Aisling. Crippled by service in the Prodavan War, James' father spent most of his time at Aminburgh or at Court and ensured his son received a good education. Initially tutored at Aminburgh Castle, the family's primary residence, James entered Royal Cunaris School at age 6. Passing his exams with flying colours, James left Royal Cunaris on his twelfth birthday and was invested as Baron Elinmylly - one of his father's secondary titles. James then attended Falscraf for three years and, against his father's wishes, joined the Imperial Army and entered ISC, Donaldia as a prospective officer. He finished his education by correspondence course.
Career
Military Career
James Taylor enlisted officially in the Imperial Army on 1st June 2015. As a young Officer Cadet, he was grouped with the Third Order cadets despite good performance in his entry exam. As part of Bexketh Company, Taylor was facing the two-year basic course as a prospective infantry officer. On 17th June, only seventeen days into training, Taylor received the news that his father had died suddenly. He turned down the opportunity to honourably leave Donaldia but took a week's leave to attend the funeral of his father and his investiture as the 6th Earl. Though his ascension to the title meant he could expect military patronage from Court and the Duchess of Erin, Taylor insisted on finishing his ISC course legitimately and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion, Royal Erin Regiment, on 1st June 2017.
Taylor's service with the Royal Erin Regiment did not last long. He joined up with C Company of the 3rd Battalion at the end of June. At the time, C Company was on colonial station in Kenega and Taylor had to be flown out. C Company's posting in Kenega ended in November when it was replaced by the battalion's Light Company and Taylor returned to Vionna-Frankenlisch with them. On Christmas Day 2017, Taylor was appointed to the rank of Brigadier in the Imperial Army by the Services Appointments Committee and left his company. He remained unattached until his civil appointment.
Early Civil Career
Relegated to the Reserve List, Taylor returned to Aminburgh to administrate his lands. He involved himself in local government and charity projects along with his younger sisters, Hannah and Mary. During this time, he sent continuous petitions to the Duchess of Erin, to Court, and to the Imperial General Staff for a position of responsibility. Eventually he broadened his horizons, stating his willingness to take a civil or diplomatic position, and expanded his petitions to include the Diplomatic Service and the government. Though his lack of experience was concerning, the Diplomatic Service were impressed with his temperament and academic ability and the Colonial Bureau suggested him as a potential Governor-General for the then-leaderless colonies of Owaya or Oktobrisk. The Duchess of Erin exerted her influence on the Diplomatic Service and the Selections Committee agreed to offer Taylor the role of Governor-General of Owaya, secretly on a provisional basis, provided that he would accept their choice of an experienced deputy. Taylor accepted and was sworn-in as Governor-General of Owaya on 12th August 2018, taking up residence in Port Walshingham the following week. He was joined by Sir Rowan Henson who was appointed Deputy Governor on 25th August.
Governor-General of Owaya
Taylor's appointment in Owaya was barely noticed to begin with, in spite of a lavish ceremony in Port Walshingham in September 2018. Initially it was accepted by much of the colonial leadership that Taylor would be given a military commission and that Sir Rowan Henson would eventually remain as permanent Governor-General. Spending much of his time in the first weeks of his appointment in sporting and cultural pursuits, Taylor initially let this impression stand. When no military appointment was forthcoming, however, he began to settle into his duties more vigorously, at one point furiously chastising the Owayan Central Board of Education for holding meetings with Sir Rowan Henson without his knowledge. The chairman of the Board, Sir William Methers, was unceremoniously sacked and replaced with an Owayan appointee - Derian Kazua. Come December of 2018, Taylor was taking increasing control over colonial affairs and had daily meetings with local authorities.
Caitlyn Claine
The secret probation period on Taylor's Governor-Generalship was due to end in February and his upturn in activity meant that Sir Rowan Henson's reports back to Frankenlisch (several of which were leaked to the press in 2021) became increasingly positive. The event that sealed his permanent appointment was his response to the suicide of student Caitlyn Claine in January 2019. A short investigation by local constabulary found that Claine's suicide was motivated by mental health issues mostly focused around stress from education. The case was closed three days after the suicide. However, several days later, the Governor-General's office received an anonymous note from a faculty member of Kitiney Road High School, the Port Walshingham school which Claine was attending, suggesting that her suicide was actually caused by bullying and sexual abuse. Acting against the advice of his advisors, Taylor formed a Royal Commission and appointed himself and Sir Alexander Orchan, Attorney General for the Colony of Owaya, co-chairs. A more sustained investigation interviewed almost 200 people including students and faculty from 8 Owayan schools, parents of students, and members of the Owayan Central Board of Education. The Royal Commission sat from 16th January to 21st February 2019 and resulted in a groundbreaking report that exposed the pervasive issue of bullying and sexual abuse within Owayan schools. The Owayan Central Board of Education was temporarily suspended and two-thirds of its members were replaced. Twenty-seven arrests were made, including five specifically related to the Claine case. Following the closing of the Royal Commission, Taylor founded the Caitlyn Claine Foundation for Youth Mental Health. Five students from Kitiney Road High School arrested for their role in the abuse of Caitlyn Claine were put on trial over the month of March - one was acquitted, two were found guilty of assault and sexual harassment sentenced to four years imprisonment, one was found guilty of sexual assault and sentenced to seven years imprisonment, and the last was found guilty of rape and executed by hanging the following year after an unsuccessful appeal. The success of his handling of the Claine case and the Royal Commission elevated the Governor-General's profile significantly and his popularity in Owaya increased. In April 2019, Taylor was awarded the Order of the Colony of Owaya 2nd Class, and his permanent appointment as Governor-General was confirmed.
Family
Awards, Titles, and Promotions
Awards
- Order of the Colony of Owaya, 2nd Class - Awarded 1st April 2019
- Order of the Colony of Owaya, 1st Class - Awarded 29th May 2022
Titles and Honorifics
- Lord James Taylor - Birth, 29th May 1997
- Lord James Taylor, Baron Elinmylly - Title bestowed (granted by Owain, 5th Earl of Amin), 29th May 2012
- Lord James Taylor, 6th Earl of Amin - Ascended to title, 17th June 2015
Military Promotions
- Officer Cadet - Imperial Staff College - 1st June 2015 (enlisted)
- Second Lieutenant - 3rd Battalion, Royal Erin Regiment - 1st June 2017 (commissioned)
- Brigadier - 25th December 2017 (appointed)