Kynessym Kurtonyc

The Kynessym Kurtonyc is the Crown of the Royal Union of Kouralia. It refers to both the physical headgear and the legal authority derived from bearing that headgear, and is never used to refer to the office of King or Queen, or the officerholder's person.

Etymology

The word Kynessym is the superlative form of 'Kynes', meaning a headband which signifies legal authority, traditionally formed of metal wrought as a laurel wreath. The suffix '-yssym' literally means 'to epitomise that quality', but in this case it translates as 'foremost' or 'high.'

The word Kurtonyc is used as a denonym of the city of Kurton, the capital of the Royal Union of Kouralia. This is because at the time the monarchy was first established, it only controlled that city and a number of surrounding city states. It was established with the intent to become the crown of all Kouralia, but that would not come for some 1500 years.

Therefore the word literally means 'High Crown of Kurton.'

Physical Crown

The crown itself is a richly bejewelled and engraved circlet designed with the image of a laurel wreath in mind. It is made of an alloy of Aurychalc and gold, which gives it a burgundy-red hue.

The current crown is the second made, as the original from the 3rd century CE was deemed to be insufficiently grandiose in the 12th century, and a new crown was wrought. The original remains on display in the Kurton Museum, and is able to be viewed by the public.

Legal Construct

The Kynessym Kurtonyc is also a juridical legal person in that it is a non-creature authorised by law with duties and rights. The bearer of the crown, the King or Queen of Kouralia, is referred to as the Kynessym Kantaasym. They merely exercise the power of the Crown, which is held to be infallible. By this justification, if they are responsible for improperly exercising the powers of the crown, the reigning monarch can be removed from office by the Kouralian Senate.

While borne by a Monarch, the power of the crown can be vested in an elected official, a non-hereditary dictator, or in commission - provided the power is legally transferred by a Royal Statute. The Second Kouralian Republic was not considered to be a legal transfer of power as, after the monarch was murdered, the statute to end the monarchy was not ratified by a lawful bearer of the crown.