Lord Protector of Arthurista
Sovereign Protector of the Lords and Commons of Arthurista  | |
|---|---|
| Style | His Highness |
| Residence | Savoi Palace |
| Seat | Loweport, Arthurista |
| Term length | life |
| Formation | 1070 |
| First holder | Steven Arthurius |
| Styles of Lord Protector of Arthurista | |
|---|---|
| Reference style | His Highness |
| Spoken style | Your Highness |
| Alternative style | Sire |
The Sovereign Protector of the Lords and Commons of Arthurista ('Dominus Defensor Arthuristaniae'), commonly known as "Lord Protector" or "Lady Protector" and styled "His/Her Highness", is the hereditary monarch and head of state of the Commonwealth of Arthurista.
The title was chosen by Steven Arthurius, the first office-holder in 1070, who believed that the native nobility, whose support he needed to consolidate his power, would not accept a 'king' of non-indigenous and non-royal bloodline. Accordingly, he styled himself as 'Lord Protector' ('Dominus Defensor'), as opposed to the royal 'king' ('Rex') in order to be acceptable to the native elite.
The Lord Protectorship was once a position of considerable power, although a real absolute monarchy was never created in Arthurista. Rather, medieval Arthurista was set up as a "Feudal Republic", in which the Lord Protector must bargain with the Lords and Commons in parliament for political support and taxation. The nation was transformed into a parliamentary democracy following the Constitution War, which resulted in the gradual extinction of aristocratic landed estates (aside from those belonging to the Lord Protectorship) and the evolution of a new constitutional order.
The office of the Lord Protector is now mostly ceremonial. It is in his name the the government governs, parliament is opened, legislates and be dismissed, courts administer justice, diplomats act for Arthurista and honours are bestowed. In the exercise of his remaining prerogative powers, he is required by custom to accept the advice of the Prime Minister.
The Lord Protector's badge of office is the Shield of State, attributed by legends to be the actual shield used by Steven Arthurius. The act of taking over the office is known as "Assuming the Shield". The ceremony resembles that of a vassal knight or noble swearing fealty to his liege lord in feudal times, except that the part of the liegeman is played by Speaker of the Parliament, representing the People, in whose service the prospective Lord Protector swears.
The primary residence of the Lord Protector is Savoi Palace in west Loweport, although the Shield owns other properties elsewhere. The eldest child of the Lord Protector is the heir presumptive, who is styled the 'Prince/Princess of the Shield', traditionally granted the (now purely honorary) Duchy of Kingston.
The current Lord Protector of Arthurista is Gareth II. His heir-presumptive is Princess Elbareth Arthurius, Duchess of Kingston.
Lord Protector's Consort
The Lord or Lady Protector's Consort refers to the reigning monarch's spouse. The designation is more of the nature of a useful 'handle' rather than a substantive title, and only used in publications if the consort has no higher title (for example, the current consort is always named formally as Her Imperial Highness Princess Jane of Ghant, rather than the 'Lady Protector' or the 'Lord Protector's Consort'). This is typically a rare state of affairs, as the monarch's spouse, if a commoner, will typically be granted a substantive title upon marriage.