Monarchy of Akai
| Thearch of Akai | |
|---|---|
| 𢂇命 ꡊꡞꡈꡟ | |
Imperial | |
| File:Lazin medium arms.png | |
| Incumbent | |
| File:Hulang.jpg | |
| Liannu since 10th of October, 2016 | |
| Details | |
| Style | His Most Sacred Majesty(神上) |
| Heir apparent | Prince Hanhui |
| First monarch | Zun Hftshü Tēla (historicity debated) |
| Formation | 13 October 1625 BC |
| Residence | Qung Qrawgra Dastmekkthong as official residences |
The Thearch or Tiatu or Tela (Classical Acanic: 𢂇命, Vernecular Akai: ꡊꡞꡈꡟ; transliterations: Tēla, Tiatu) is the title quasi-religious title of the sovereign of Akai reigning between the founding of the Zun dynasty that unified Akai in 1625 BC, until the dissolution of the Gghaangpa Tiatuate officially in 1120 following the war of the five emperors and dissolution of Akai. The Tiatuate after centuries of non-existence was restored by Tiatu Lunkian in 1923. In practice, not every Tiatu held supreme power in Akai, although this was usually the case. Tiatus from the same Clan is classified in historical periods known as clans with all being descendants of the Zun dynasty. Most of Akai's Imperial rulers have commonly been considered members of the Akai ethnicity, although recent scholarship has become increasingly wary of applying present-day ethnic categories to historical situations. The current ruling Lazin dynasty is descended from all of the previous Tiatuates.
Functions
The politics of Akai takes place in the context of the totalitarian hierocratic absolute monarchy, where the Thearch is both the head of state and government. Decisions are, to a large extent, made on the basis of consultation among the senior princes of the imperial clan, high ranking courtiers, members of the bureaucracy, military and the religious figureheads of the nation. The Thearch combines legislative, executive, and judicial functions and imperial decrees form the basis of the country's legislation. The Thearch also reserves the right to chair the Grand Conclave and the Grand Council of Princes, from which he seeks advice from. The monarch also makes appointments to and dismissals from the various ministries of state, which is responsible for such executive and administrative matters as foreign and domestic policy, defence, finance, health, and education, administered through numerous separate agencies. The government budget itself is not fully disclosed to the public. "Fully 40%" ... is labelled `Other sectors` (including defence, security, intelligence, direct investment of the realm's revenues outside the country, and how much goes to directly to the royal family).
Akai remains one of the few existing absolute monarchies in Esquarium, with the Thearch possessing absolute legal, secular and religious power to dictate what he pleases. The Thearch's words are perceived to be sacred edicts (聖旨) and his formal proclamations are "directives from above" (上諭). In theory, the Thearch's orders were to be obeyed immediately although whether this is the case varies depending on the strength of the monarch. He is elevated above all commoners, nobility and members of the Imperial family. Protocole dictated that addresses to the Thearch were always to be formal and self-deprecatory, even by the closest of family members. In practice, however, the power of the Thearch varied between different Thearchs and different clans. Presently the current monarchy is arguably the strongest it has ever been with the totalitarian consolidation of power and with almost no constraints. Thearch Güngqan ruled as absolute monarchs throughout their reign, maintaining a centralized grip on the country.
Within Akai, the Thearch is the rightful ruler of all beneath heaven and whose power is supposed to be supreme. He also, however, has major religious importance. As a religious functionary, the Thearch is the sole rank entitled and obligated to perform certain rites which are denied to others. Ideally, he performs the rituals at regular organised intervals, first at sites which lay outside the palace and at the location of the thirteen monoliths but at the northern altars. These services were addressed to the higher power of the sleeping Ngustgah and other high divine powers who are believed to affect human welfare; the Thearch's attention to these rites could affect the lives of all his subjects. He takes part regularly in some of the sacrifices, invocations, and prayers which enabled him to serve as an intermediary between heaven and earth. In moments of great service, the Thearch will take a hundred days vigil and also in crucial times engage with divination.
Although, in theory, the country is an absolute monarchy, in reality, significant policy decisions are made often made within governmental structures and not solely by the Thearch albeit on his behalf. Traditionally decisions are made by establishing a consensus within the royal family (all members of the Lazin clan). In addition, the views of distinguished members of Akai society, including the priesthood, leading aristocrats, military generals, censors and heads of prominent economic families are considered. However, under the reign of Thearch Güngqan, he increasingly utilised and empowered those he perceived as competent and replaced several family members with his allies. This persistent change was noted to have largely antagonised both the aristocracy who in turn benefited from patronage as well with Marshal of the Field Long Zhanshi and Imperial Secretary Heng Longba being considered the two éminence grises of Güngqan's rule. Both men are believed to be loathed within the imperial family due to a perceived resumption of rightful roles. Despite this Giaaka did not out all of his family members, keeping in those he felt were competent such as his half-brother Prince Qiang, the present Grand Commandant.
As an absolute monarchy, the personality and capabilities of the reigning monarch influence the politics and national policies of the country. While heirs are traditionally selected due to good track records and other promising qualities as outlined by the Court Astrologer Sftümra Shan - in practice it often exists at the whims of the monarch who traditionally tend towards agnatic primogeniture. In government Thearch Lunkian (1923–1964) was considered a brilliant diplomat and administrator and his reign led to a prosperous situation and period of stability which lingered during some of the most unstable periods in East Borean history. His son and heir, on the other hand, Thearch Qiakra (1964–1984) was an incompetent administrator who ruined the balance of power which existed in Akai and both enabled his wife Dihou Youxian's Centralist clique to take control of the government and enabled the Syndicalist Revolt which lasted throughout his reign. His son then Daslö Giaaka was gradually introduced into more and more of the government before with the aid of the clique propping him up he led a coup against his father and became regent in 1972. Afterwards, he successfully ended the civil war with the aid of his clique and afterwards began the Hundred Days Cleansing in order to prepare the government and military to serve as a force loyal to him. Considered a reactionary modernist by scholars today, he implemented widespread modernisation schemes and when he became Thearch Güngqan meaning "Strong Peace". He also enabled widespread economic reforms such as considerable deregulation, encouragement of foreign investment, and privatization and made modernizing changes to the judiciary and government ministries. His son and heir Liannu remain a largely enigmatic character, with reports suggesting he is presented as an intelligent and diligent character however given the propagandising nature of these reports leaves it open to discussion. He presently is wed to one of his regents Grand Dihou-Mother Tingzi Lazin and his two sisters Dihou Lilisi and Dihou Jiexiu who are believed to exert considerable influence. The other regent is his reformist uncle Prince Sanfu who also is Grand Preceptor.
History
Although the Thearch has been a symbol of continuity with the past, the degree of power exercised by the Thearch has varied considerably throughout Akai history but has generally remained strong. In the late 17th century BC, the Thearch had begun to be called the "Son of Heaven" (天子 Thīnslü ).
Origins
In the Thunsaw religious tradition the Thearch or Tiatu was a figure who all mankind was descended from and created the original Akai civilisation after he was with the rest of the Gods cast out of Heavenly Court of by Ngustgah and was inevitably sent to slumber during the catastrophe which destroyed it. Present Akai historiography claims the present Tiatus are descended from Zun Hftshü Tēla or the First Thearch of Zun, a reincarnation of the August Tiatu. Zun Hftshu Tela has been historically attributed been seen to be the first ruler of a united Akai civilisation, ending the first warring states period. From the Lengzun clan (嬴秦), the Tiatuate is believed to have lasted from 1635 to 465, is the longest lasting of the Akai Tiatuates although it can be divided into several sub-periods, the Eastern, the Western, and the Legalist Periods. The collapse of the Lengzun led to the Eighteen Kingdoms Period (十八國時代), where a variety of successor states tried to battle for control of the succession although eventually peace was restored under the Yanzun (燕秦).
The etymology of Tiatu (𢂇命) literally means "Auspicious Divine Ruler" and is derived from Te or "divine ruler" which can be translated as either Thearch, demigod human, or a superhuman. The latter character is one that takes on a contextual meaning in Akai.
Consiliation
The Lengzun Tiatuate unlike several previous imperial powers which arose in the fractured pre-Tiatuate age was able to implement substantial legal reforms and formalise much of the religious rites which came to define Akai in the centuries afterwards. In the Eastern Period, The Doctrine of Rebirth (新生命 Sungsangtmangt) was established outlining was a legitimate form of a succession of dynasties which retroactively condemned the "Demonic Kingdoms" which preceded the Lengzun. It asserts that power can shift from one line of the Tiatu to another if it proved to be unworthy of ruling and that they proved to be worthy. What is considered worthy varied clan to clan. The authority of this came from both Heaven and the fact that the Tiatu's bloodline was innately holy and should be protected. Any ruler who failed in this duty, who let instability creep into earthly affairs, or who let his people suffer, would lose the mandate. Under this system, it was the prerogative of spiritual authority to withdraw support from any wayward ruler and to find another, more worthy one.
Also in the Eastern Period, there was the first major evolution of aristocratic governance beyond petty fiefdoms. Instead of a system originally known as Pungkant. It also formalised the various peerages of Akai, with five ranks below the royal ranks, in descending order. Unlike Nordania aristocracy, positions of power and governance were originally distinguished by varying ranks which were not subject to anyone but the Tiatu. Increasingly in the Western Period, a vigorous duke would take power from his vassals and centralize his state. Centralisation became more necessary as the states began to war among themselves and decentralization encouraged more war. If a duke took power from his nobles, the state would have to be administered bureaucratically by appointed officials. The legalist period is marked by the rise of legalist philosophy and the ascension of the Yanzun branch of the Zun House.
Second Tiatuate
They implemented a refinement of Pungkant in the reform the Lial (灋) system. Akai Clan dynamics can be defined into two categories, the Inner and Outer Clan. The Outer Clan is made out of traditionally those of lesser status within the clan, children of concubines, slaves and servants traditionally belong to the outer clan due to the inferiority of their status at birth. While members of the Outer Clan can rise to that of the Inner Clan, it is often difficult and rare. Outer clan males are only permitted one wife and unless their worth is proved to the clan must commit ritual suicide and either do the same to their children or become eunuchs or concubines of the main clan - traditionally kept isolated and controlled to prevent the legitimacy of blood escaping. Some of the older lineages have entire servant castes formed from outer clan descendants. Females however often become wives of the inner clan. Outer clan members typically are considered a courtier or patrician class within Akai. The Inner Clan, however, is made of full members of the clan, traditionally children of marriages which among aristocracy are typically incestuous, often keeping the size of the inner clan relatively small. What counts as a marriage for the inner clan varies, typically on the whims of the clan patriarch. The inner clan members have the full privileges of aristocracy, typically serving as the appointed rulers of provinces, businesses or services within the military or bureaucracy. The inner clan also maintain monopolies on clan titles, being owed greater reverence than those of the outer clan. Inner clan males are expected to take on multiple wives and concubines, typically of shared lineage in order to preserve ancestral blood and to continue eugenic births. Their children remain members of the inner clan regardless of what happens although the patriarch (or matriarch on occasion) and his children take priority owning the most valuable parts of the clan. Succession in Akai unlike Nordanian aristocratic traditions is typically based on meritocratic selection which promotes the selection of worthy members of the inner clan. Lordships were not hereditary, required reappointment, and could be revoked.
The Yanzun are also largely responsible for Akai's tradition political centralisation Owing to political disunity, over the centuries, it has not been uncommon to have numerous claimants to the title of "Thearch of All Akai". The Akai political concept of the Mandate of Heaven essentially legitimized those claimants who emerged victoriously and of the right lineage. The formal list was considered those made by the official dynastic histories; the compilation of a history of the preceding dynasty was considered one of the hallmarks of legitimacy, along with symbols such as the Basalt Throne or the Heirloom Seal of the Realm. As with the First Thearch, it was very common also to retroactively grant posthumous titles to the ancestors of the victors; even in Akai historiography, however, such grants were not considered to elevate Thearchs prior to the successful declaration of a new clan.
Expansion
Until fairly centuries, Akai's territory did not include several remote regions of its modern-day territory instead either having them under nominal vassalage or they were independent. Akai has historically relied upon a variety of feudatories and powerful viceroys due to the large nature of the country. Historically the titles of the Thearch in Akai have never included territorial designations as is the case with many Nordanian monarchs. The position of Thearch is a territory-independent phenomenon—the Tiatu is the Tiatu, even if he has followers only in one province. Akai Tiatuates regardless had large bureaucracies with often wielded considerable enough which rivalled some of the vassal kings.It is believed that Akai only reached its present borders under the Gghaangpazun dynasty in the early 792 AD when initial settlements in Lazinato started to occur.
Interregnum
<imgur thumb="yes" w="250" comment="A modern depiction of the Gghaangpa Thearch Shralngash (860-882) with his mother and Grand-Empress Wnuros (847-890).">lQxI0vH.jpg</imgur> The collapse of Akai lies in the fall of the Gghaangpa Tiatuate and the falling ash period which condemned Akai to centuries of war. The origins of the interregnum lie in a concubine's child born to the last Tiatu of Akai in 1002, Tiatu Gghünggag. The child was born to a concubine his daughter — Lady Mei Meiling Chihu. The child was called Qagmüg Lazin and was acknowledged by the old Tiatu Gghünggag as his offspring. What was important was that child was unusual with regard to its characteristic; seemed almost albino, with red eyes, white hair and pale skin. His role in Akai history became more pronounced in 1022, however, when he was an excellent warrior and competent admiral. Tiatu Gghünggag died in bed, however, according to witnesses present, he had named Qagmüg as his true heir over his legitimate children from his empresses due to prophecy. This came to the dismay of the four legitimate sons of Gghünggag who all were equally ambitious and in control of prestigious feudatories. They were each married into the kingly clans of the realm, each the most powerful in their respective areas and those and several such as the Slümra and Shangbaag. But, none recognised the right of Qagmüg to rule, disbelieving the late Tiatu's words and regarding them as Qagmüg's own in his quest for power. The Five Empires (五國時代) period which followed was an era in late medieval and early modern Akai history of intensive warfare all around Akai with the goal of creating one Akai Empire, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation, following the Spring and Autumn period and concluding with the failed Slümra wars of conquest which ultimately led to the Internecine period.
Lazin Tiatuate
<imgur thumb="yes" w="250" comment="The Mask of Thearch Lunkian">l0i87b0.png</imgur> In the conclusion of the Internecine Period, was the restoration of the Thearchy after Thearch Lunkian restored the Tiatuate after the century-long period of interregnum. Lunkian's style of rule was influenced by the fact that Lazinato alone couldn't forcefully unite Akai and he had to instead rely upon a large network of aristocratic allies. So while a few core territories remained under Lazin direct control, aristocratic clans many others who preserved large amounts of autonomy and had several rights. Clans often the most powerful or former imperial ones as the Slümra, Gghaangpa and Kaghthiaft became known as the Hierarchs due to their uniquely high elevation within Akai as the Kingly Clans. Lunkian ruled in a largely indirect manner, serving as the office of final appeal for disputes and guiding national policy. He left aristocrats largely undisturbed and negotiated ends to conflicts. One of the more controversial moments of his reign was his avoidance of involvement in external wards such as the Senrian-Xiaodongese War which angered many of the Sinprapka faction who saw Xiaodong as ideological partners and as a betrayal of Akai's honour. The role of the Thearchy in religion also became more pronounced as Lunkian produced sacred edicts for the population at large and codified the visiting religious traditions. Most importantly he spread the Lazin messianic prophecy and introduced it into large sections of the continent. In present historiography, his reign is looked upon favourably.
His successor and eldest son Tiatu Qiakra is looked upon much more unfavourably as an incompetent ruler due to his rash attempts to infer in delicate matters and enabled the rise of his wife Dihou Youxian's Centralist Clique. This was also on top of his ignition of the Iconoclastic Revolt in which revolutionaries seeking to exploit. It cost several million lives and eventually was concluded after then Grand Marshal Tian Taijian was able to end the bloodshed after he was appointed by Daslö Giaaka's advice.
During this Qiakra was couped by his son with his wive's clique crippled and expelled. Giaaka was appointed regent for Qiakra, and he began a slow and steady reform of the Akai state. He began the Hundred Days Cleansing a vast series of purges which were intended to remove those Giaaka saw as incompetent and replace them with loyal and competent underlings. He also began vast changes to the bureaucracy, expanding it and repurposing departments to serve more constructive purposes. He most importantly also began a widespread modernisation scheme in which Orders of the Imperial Armed Forces and economy were increasingly overalled and the power of the Thearch expanded. These preparations seemed prudent as in 1984 the Grand Immortals Mutiny began, with the long thought dead Tian Taijian returned. While deaths still were high, it was a quick and contained war with it largely concluding with the nuking of Taijian's position and the crippling of Clan Shangbaag.
Thastfung Restoration
In the aftermath of the Mutiny, Qiakra finally died enabling Giaaka to marry Dihou Youxian and eventually conceive the now Dihou Tingzi. He decided to take the era name Güngqan (𩿅𡚴) meaning "Strong Peace" something he wished to ensure through a series of major reforms. Called the Thastfung Restoration (𠘲𧇌維𣂺, literally Great Peace Renewal), in a huge series of edicts Giaaka outlined a radical reformation of Akai society. Like most Akai "reform" it is never called as such and is instead couched in the past as a way of granting it authority. It reaffirmed all of the Tiatu's legal rights and with precedence for them and radically crippled the power of aristocracy much of home sided with the rebels. The harem was to claim five close female relatives of all aristocrats in Akai of suitable age for it, male sons had to be sent to the palace and were only allowed to return when the lord in question spend time in the capital. Perhaps some of his most crucial reforms were the limitations placed on aristocracy. The Kunsrülü, a police and spy network descended from a union of the old Censorate and the Military Commissariat reported any suspicious activity by any of the Tiatu's subjects. Aristocrats were required to report any proposed marriage alliances between domains to the Tiatu for approval. Strict conditions on marriage were established, formalising both eugenic and caste standards in the Exclusion of Subaltern traits and Ancestral Hygiene Edict, which established the Bureau of Ancestral Hygiene to enforce these standards. Contact between domains was prohibited to reduce opportunities for plotting against the Thearchy. The number of castles, their size and their strength was very strictly limited. The monarchy could punish lords for transgressions in a variety of ways; a domain could be reduced in size, the lord could be shifted to an entirely different domain, or, the ultimate sanction, suicide could be demanded, perhaps with the additional punishment of his lineage being reduced in status to a non-noble level or be executed entirely and condemned to Damnatio memoriae. On top of this, the traitor clans stations were nearly without exception stripped from the clans who controlled them and were handed to Giaaka's more loyal allies, dramatically reducing the presence of aristocracy in the central government. Worship of the Tiatu became mandatory again, as an expansion of the faith continued. Vast expansions of military, Kunsrulu and bureaucratic power were also incorporated into Güngqan's work. To outside observers, Güngqan's work looked like the implementation of a totalitarian system upon which the Thearch controlled. This being said major reforms were made to expand meritocratic practice such as the first nationwide education system, which included children aged from 5-14 to full education and filtered out talented individuals for further advancement. Traditional standards of treatment for slaves were codified and improved, gaining Güngqan considerable respect among his poorer subjects who often relied upon such relationships for their prosperity while also creating a potential niche for more service orientated work.
Marriage traditions
Throughout history, Akai Thearchs and noblemen maintained large harems, with large amounts of hierarchy and stratification within. Like other Monic peoples Akai practices a variant of polygamy, characterised by several wives on top of concubines, typically stratified.
The Zun imperial dynasties consistently practice official polygamy, a practice which continues to this day and has expanded considerably. Besides the Empress, the Thearch could take, and in nearly every instance took, several secondary consorts ("concubines") of various hierarchical degrees. Concubines were allowed also to other dynasts and other members of the imperial family, typically those who are male although eunuch concubines are occasionally allowed for prestigious females. It was common practice in the Western Lengzun Tiatuate to have more than one empress into the harem, and it became a long-lasting tradition in Akai and one mirrored by the Tiatu's many subjects. With the help of all this polygamy, the imperial clans thus are capable of producing more offspring. It should be noted that sons by secondary consorts were usually recognized as imperial princes, too, and could be recognized as heir to the throne if the empress did not give birth to an heir however they possessed inferior social status and usually fell into the ranks of the outer clan.
Most of the information about the Rites of Lengzun as it contains great details of an imperial consort ranking system which inspired aspects of the latter systems. However, as the Rites of Lengzun is considered by some revisionist modern scholars to be merely a mythical blueprint for a utopian society, the system listed in that work of literature cannot be taken word for word. Rather, it offers a rough glimpse into the inner harem during the time.
In the succession, children of the more senior empress were preferred over sons of secondary consorts. Thus it was significant which quarters had preferential opportunities in providing chief wives to imperial princes, i.e. supplying future empresses.
Apparently, the oldest tradition of official marriages within the imperial dynasty were marriages between dynasty members, typically full-siblings or parent and child. Such marriages were deemed to preserve better the divine blood of the First Tiatu or were aimed at producing children symbolic of a reconciliation between two branches of the imperial clan as presently believed to be the case with Liannu. Incestuous marriages are the norm for the Tiatuates, being characterised as castimony or castus (順倫, Classical Acanic: Liantrian); literally meaning. It became a tradition for all unwed females of breeding age in the dynasty to be the Tiatu's own concubines as a way of both preventing the dispersion of property in succession. On the other hand,there seemingly is a royal strategy of maximizing fitness by putting on the throne as close to a genetic clone as possible. The ultimate logical outcome of the Thearch's hypergyny is for the Thearch's closest female relatives to marry the Thearch since there is no other possible higher- or even equal-status husband. Other marriages were intended to be somewhat political in nature, such as the marriage of Tiatu Qiakra to Empress Qixi Cangbai, who later gave birth to Princes Qiang and Sanfu. Typically children from "castimonial" marriages take precedence over non-castimonial ones in succession which is why traditionally royal concubines from the same kin as the monarch took precedence over-non kin ones with special titles to mark their status. Should a child be seen as worthier than his non-castimonial siblings and chosen as heir, they'd usually be wed to a half-sibling.
Akai monarchs have been, as much as others elsewhere, dependent on making alliances with powerful chiefs and powerful feudatories. Many such alliances were sealed by marriages. The specific feature in Akai has been the fact that these marriages have been soon incorporated as elements of tradition which controlled the marriages of later generations, though the original practical alliance had lost its real meaning. Powerful feudatories are able to exert influence over their imperial son-in-law that way. Historically a family is able to monopolise control over the Thearch this way, for example, the Tiatus of the Miazun Clan had married women from families of the government-holding Shangbaag king, and women of the imperial clan itself typically sustained half-sister and cousin marriages. These marriages often were alliance or succession devices: the Shangbaag king ensured his domination of a prince who would be put on the throne as a puppet; or a prince ensured the combination of two imperial descents, to strengthen his own and his children's claim to the throne. Marriages were also a means to seal a reconciliation between two imperial branches and potential unification.
After a couple of centuries, Thearchs could no longer take anyone from outside the families of the Hierarchs and the Imperial Clans own as a primary wife, in spite of any expediency of such a marriage and power or wealth brought by such might have been. Very rarely did a Prince ascend to the throne who was not from a castimonial marriage. The earlier necessity and expediency had mutated into a strict tradition that did not allow for current expediency or necessity but only dictated that daughters of a restricted circle of families were eligible brides because they had produced eligible brides for centuries. Tradition had become more forceful than law.
For the Lazin Clan, castimonial marriages have largely taken precedence over minor consorts due to these traditions and a lack of brides of suitable status. The codification of these restrictions occurred in the reign of Emperor Gangslu, in the Purity of the Dynastic Household Edict, which made it mandatory for one castimonial marriage for the dynastic head.
Another important aspect of the Thearch's marriages is the eugenic character of them. Candidates must be physically and mentally excellent in order to be allowed to wed and traits which are perceived as harmful when found in offspring, the child in question is killed to prevent the accumulation of such negative traits while active carriers are not to be wed into the monarchy. The one notable "exception" to this is the variant of "albinism" the Lazins carry which is preserved due to it being both a status symbol and it is said to be a resemblance between them and the original first Tiatu.
Number of Thearchs
In the traditional line of succession, there have been 200 Thearchs since the time of the Lengzun. There have been numerous claimants to the throne previously, typically due to disputed succession although they became increasingly rare phenomena in later dynasties. Among the most famous Thearchs is Zun Hftshü Tēla of the Lengzun Tiatuate, the Thearchs (x) and (x) of the Legalist Lengzun Tiatuate, and more recently Thearchs Lunkian and Güngqan. The Thearch's position, unless deposed in a palace coup, was always hereditary, usually by agnatic primogeniture although the Tiatu reserved the right to chose an heir. As a result, many Thearchs ascended the throne while still children. During these minorities, the Empress Dowager (i.e., the Thearch's mother) would possess significant power. In fact, the vast majority of female rulers throughout Akai Imperial history came to power by ruling as regents on behalf of their sons; prominent examples include the Empress Siauantsiaan of the Lengzun dynasty, as well as more recent examples such as Grand Empress Dowager Yüugyan and Grand Empress-Mother Thiaüngtsü of the Lazin dynasty, who for a time ruled jointly as co-regents. When the Empresses Dowager is too weak to assume power, court officials typically seize control. Court eunuchs have a significant role in the power structure, as Thearchs often relied on a few of them as confidants, which gave them access to many court records. Occasionally, other nobles seized power as regents. The actual area ruled by the Thearch of Akai varied from dynasty to dynasty. In the modern Lazin Tiatuate the Tiatu controls directly Niaausü Dügkiaan (內史直管, literally "meaning directly administered by scribe of the interior") while he has a variety of subdivisions to serve his centralised rule.
Heredity and succession
The title of Thearch was hereditary, traditionally passed on from father to son in each clan although not always. There are also instances where the throne is assumed by a younger brother, should the deceased Thearch have no male offspring or if that offspring is either unworthy or requires a co-monarch. In some cases when the empress did not bear any children, the Thearch would have a child with another of his many concubines (all children of the Thearch were regarded also to be the children of the empress, regardless of birth mother). In some dynasties the succession of the empress' eldest son was disputed, and because many Thearchs had large numbers of progeny, there were wars of succession between rival sons. In an attempt to resolve after-death disputes, the Thearch, while still living, often designated a Crown Prince (太子) who often serves as a de facto co-monarch only subordinate to the Thearch. Even such a clear designation, however, was often thwarted by jealousy and distrust, whether it was the crown prince plotting against the Thearch, or brothers plotting against each other. The Zun imperial dynasty bases its legitimacy in the expression that it has "reigned since time immemorial". It is true that its origins are buried in the mists of time as historical, with the First Thearch being as nuch a figure of myth as of history. However, his descendants, including his successors, were according to records descended from at least one and probably several imperial princesses of the older lineage. The tradition built by those legends has chosen to recognize just the putative male ancestry as valid for legitimizing his succession, not giving any weight to ties through the said princesses. Millennia ago, the Zun House developed its own peculiar system of hereditary succession. While it superficially resembled agnatic primogeniture, it placed greater importance on the merit of a child than his seniority and would typically have older and more competent uncles succeed over incapable or underage children. These Thearchs would traditionally name their senior brother's child as heir and serve as co-monarchs until it was deemed suitable for him to abidicate. The Thearch also reserves the right to select his heir among his own kin. While this tradition was de facto replaced under the Lazin dynasty with agnatic primogeniture often occurring in practice. The controlling principles of succession are apparently very complex and sophisticated, leading to even idiosyncratic outcomes. Some chief principles apparent in the succession have been:
Those born from castimonial marriages take precedence over those who are not, with first degree relationships being prioritised. One of the hypotheses proposed by scholars to explain the phenomena is that incest is the ultimate outcome of a double strategy of fitness maximization. On the one hand, there is a large amount female strategy of hypergyny. On the other hand, there is a royal strategy of maximizing fitness by putting on the throne as close to a genetic clone as possible. At the apex of the social pyramid, the two strategies become fused into one.The ultimate logical outcome of hypergyny is for the Thearch’s closest female relatives to marry the Thearch since there is no other possible higher- or even equal-status husband. Akai like most stratified societies shows a trend towards hypergyny. Females of all species maximize fitness by picking the best possible mates. Stratification in human societies, by adding a number of socially created dimensions to the distribution of resources, greatly widens the range of fitness of males, and, hence, the range of their desirability to females. This is especially true in patrilineal societies. Where authority and material resources are passed on in the male line, a woman improves her fitness by marrying up; women therefore tend to be ”sucked up” in the social structure, creating polygyny at the top, monogamy in the middle, and male celibacy or polyandry at the bottom. Upper-class women have no more attractive alternative than to marry within their own group. Their range of suitable mates is more restricted than that of lower-status women, and therefore high-status women tend to be more inbred. The logical conclusion of this is that the Thearch monopolises the highest status women, ie his own kin.
Women were allowed to succeed but are limited to descendants of the imperial house and have to be wed to co-monarchs or half-siblings of the same house in order to be successful. It is why there have been only two female Thearchs in all of Akai’s long history and even then there is a long serious of precedents showing that the practice is almost universally avoided when a suitable male exists.
Abdication was used very often, and in fact occurred more often than death on the throne. In those days, the Thearch’s chief task was godly, containing so many repetitive rituals that it was deemed that after a service of around thirteen years, the incumbent deserved pampered retirement as an honoured former Thearch. This was also done symbolically so that a Thearch could not surpass a prestigious ancestor formally in terms of how long they ruled for.
The practice of Subinfeudation is also encouraged, with Thearchs typically ennobling children with titles which will after five generations be reverted back to the Thearch. This division of property originally came with rights to administer the lands given although know days the titles given are reflective of property and nothing else, with the Tiatu retaining power. The centralisation of this property is also believed to be another reason for the preference of castomonial marriages.
It is a common thing for Akai monarchs to ascend to the throne relatively young, to the point it became a noted tradition of the monarchy. A dynast who was older than a toddler was typically suitable and old enough. This meant that the positions of government often were crafted around teaching the monarch with the position of Grand Tutor (太傅) often having significant influence over him along with regents becoming an increasingly formalised position. Being the age of legal majority was not a requirement for the Thearch’s religious duties although political duties were often delegated or handled by co-monarchs. Thus, a multitude of Akai Thearchs have been enthroned as children, some as young as 6 or 8 years old. The legalist nature of the Akai monarchy meant that the government was supposed to be able to continue due to it being a perfectly crafted state, with effective law and methods known. It is common for Thearch’s who die to have instructions outlined to guide imperial policy after their death’s until their reincarnation their heir is of age. It is a cultural trope in Akai for monarchs to be depicted as being adolescents.
Styles, names and forms of address
There are two Akai words equivalent to the word "Emperor": Tiatu (𢂇命, lit "Auspicious God"), which is used exclusively to refer to the Thearch, and Xuang (皇), which is used primarily to refer to non-Akai imperial monarchs. As the Thearch had, by law, an absolute position which were peerless and unable to be usurped by anyone else, subjects were to show the utmost respect in his or her presence, whether in direct conversation or otherwise. When approaching the Imperial throne, one was expected to kowtow before the Thearch regardless of status. In a conversation with the Thearch, it was considered a crime to compare oneself to the Thearch in any way. Traditionally, the Akai considered it disrespectful to call any person by his given name, and more so for a person of noble rank. This made it taboo to refer to the Thearch by his or her given name, even if it came from his or her own mother, who instead is supposed to use Tiatu (𢂇命), or simply Ér (兒, "son", for male thearchs). The Thearch is never to be addressed as "you". Anyone who spoke to the Thearch was to address him or her as Shiaünshang (神上, lit. “(My) God (High) Above"), corresponding to "Your Most Divine Highness"; Xuangshang (皇上, lit. Radiant Highness); Shingshang (聖上, lit. Holy Highness); or Thiaantsü (天子, lit. "Son of Heaven"). The Thearch could also be alluded to indirectly through reference to the imperial dragon symbology or in the case of latter dynasties phoenixes. Servants often addressed the Thearch’s as Mants ghhast La (萬歲爺, lit. Lord of Ten Thousand Years). The Thearch referred to himself or herself as Zhèn (朕), the original Akai first-person singular arrogated by the First Thearch, functioning as an equivalent to the "Royal We", (寡人, the "Morally-Deficient One") in front of his or her subjects. In contrast to the Nordanian convention of referring to a sovereign using a regnal name or by a personal name, a governing Thearch was to be referred to simply as Tiatu Shiaünshang (𢂇命神上, His/Her Divine Highness the Thearch).
Generally, Therachs also ruled with an era name (年號). Originally adopted at the start of a reign, it is intended to serve as a declaration of intent for a monarch, while it can be changed this is rarely done. This is the name usually used for the monarchs although this is accompanied by a temple name (廟號/庙号) given after their death. Most Thearchs were also given a posthumous name (謚號), which was sometimes combined with the temple name. The passing of a Thearch was referred to as Kaafttlüng (駕崩, lit. "collapse of the [imperial] chariot") and a Thearch that had just died was referred to as Dagtgang Tela (大行𢂇命), literally "the Thearch of the Great Journey."
It is also traditional for Thearchs to have Chronological names (秦號, lit Zun names). These are unique to Akai - they are traditionally composed of at least four characters, one numerical character, one reflecting the Zun House and two for the status of Thearch. One example of this is Zun Hftshü Tēla for the First Thearch (秦始𢂇命) and Zun Püg Tiatu (秦皕𢂇命) is the Chronological name of Thearch Liannu.
Outside Akai, beginning with Thearch Lunkian, the monarchs are often referred to by their given names, both while alive and posthumously. For example, the previous Therach is usually called Siauöntshia outside of Akai, although he was never referred to as Siauöntshia in Akai, which is the only name that Akai speakers currently use when referring to him.
Family
The Imperial family was made up of the Thearch and his Empresses (𢂇后) as the primary consorts and Mothers of the Nation (國母). In addition, the Thearchwould typically have several other consorts and concubines (嬪妃), ranked by importance into a harem, in which the Grand Empress was supreme. There has been considerable variation with regards to the status of the various members of the harem although traditionally proximity of kinship to the monarch and castimonial Zun ancestry is considered to be of great importance. Every Clan had its set of rules regarding the numerical composition of the harem. For the current Lazin Clan standards dictate that if there are multiple empresses, a singular Grand Empress must be designated and that the harem must be staffed through a variety of the most prestigious aristocratic females and those considered to be worthy enough to enter its ranks.The Lazin harem is believed to be composed of presently one Grand Empress-Mother, two Empresses, 26 High Noble Consorts, 49 Noble Consorts, 549 Consorts, 1539 Madames and 14333 Ladies and Palace Women. Although the Thearch has the highest status by law, by tradition and precedent the mother of the Thearch, i.e., the Empress Dowager (𢂇太后), usually received the greatest respect in the palace and was the decision maker in most family affairs less a the Thearch emerges as a strong patriarch. At times, especially when a young Thearch was on the throne, she was the de facto ruler as it is believed to be the case today with Grand Empress-Mother (𢂇太后母) Thiaungtsu. The Thearch's children, the princes (𢂇子) and princesses (公主), were often referred to by their order of birth, e.g., Eldest Prince, Third Princess, etc. The princes were often given titles of peerage once they reached adulthood or at the death of their fathers. The Thearch's brothers and uncles served in court by law and held equal status with other court officials (子). The Thearch was always elevated above all others despite any chronological or generational superiority.
The Imperial family dominates the political system of Akai. The dynasties large numbers allow it to hold or influence most of the Thearchs important posts and to have an involvement and presence at all levels of government. The number of princes is estimated to be anything from 280 upwards, with the most power and influence being wielded by the 80 or so members of the inner clan. The key ministries have historically been reserved for the Imperial family, as are the thirteen regional viceroyalties. With a large number of family members seeking well-paying jobs, critics complain that “upper-level management" jobs in the Thearchy are out of reach for non-Imperial Lazins, limiting upward mobility and incentive for commoners to excel.
The main exceptions to this lie within the bureaucracy and military where a more complicated situation exists. Thanks to Thastfung reforms, men typically associated with Tiatu Güngqan, seen most prominently with the cases of Marshal of the Field Liaung Tshiaanshia and Imperial Secretary Xong Liaungkuon who served as Giaaka’s most prominent deputies. Both are petty aristocracy and immensely powerful, which meant he was despised by most Lazins, especially the Qiakra Four who are their strongest rivals. Long term political and government appointments result in the creation of "power fiefdoms" for senior princes.
In the absence complete of national elections and political parties, politics in Akai takes place in two distinct areas: within the Imperial family, the Lazins, and between the Imperial family and the rest of Akai high society. The Imperial family is politically divided into factions based on clan loyalties, personal ambitions and ideological differences. The most powerful lineage is known as the 'Qiakra Four', comprising children of the late Tiatu Qiakra and his brothers and their descendants. At least once a week, the late Thearch Güngqan and his full brothers met for a family dinner at which they shared perspectives about national and international politics. Ideological divisions include issues over the speed and direction of reforms, international policy and whether the power of the bureaucracy should be increased or reduced. Despite this, the clan tends towards singular interests due to the Thastfung reform’s strict monitoring of all of importance to prevent the undermining of the Tiatu.
Burial traditions
The burial rituals of the Akai monarchs are complex. A process of partial mummification occurs with the skin, brain and heart all being preserved along with the skeleton after the rest of the body is cremated. These bodies are stored on the island of Qung in a vast underground crypt underneath the imperial palace. The skeletons are reported to be intricately jewelled and hidden in equally elaborate sarcophaguses in which are covered in the detailed skin being inscribed with the personal history of the monarch in question - typically written by him.
Enthronement
The Enthronement of the Thearch of Akai (𢂇皍位禮, Ta Süɡ Gghüftt Ru) is an ancient ceremony which marks the accession of a new ruler to the Akai Throne, in the one of the world's oldest monarchy. Various ancient imperial regalia are given to the new sovereign during the course of the rite.
Imperial taboo
The sun taboo is the Akai social taboo against discussion or criticism of the Thearch of Akai and his family, especially the deceased Thearch Güngqan. The taboo also extended to discussion of the presently young age of the monarch and suspicions about his background. In Akai, criticisms and discussions of the Thearch and the imperial system were strictly and severely punished by the Penal Code as they were considered to be lèse-majesté, and there was also strong pressure from Akai society against such criticisms. Further, the Peace Preservation Edict was enacted in 1894 to punish such criticisms against the imperial system. Akai people, therefore, prefer to avoid any negative discussion about the Thearchy outside of strictly formal and well-constructed statement.
Imperial Statolatry
The Imperial Cult surrounding Akai's ruling family, the Lazin Clan, is ultimately a revival traditional conceptions of Sacred rule of has existed from the times of the Lengzun. The Lazins revival of this is traditionally referred to as Imperial Statolatry and it has existed in Akai for decades and can be found in many examples of Akai culture. There exist harsh and stiff penalties for those who criticize or do not show "proper" respect for the monarchy as many defectors and Western visitors can attest to due to strong Lese Majeste laws. The Son of Heaven is the supreme universal sovereign, who ruled Thiaanxiaa ("all under heaven"). His position is rendered as "universal ruler" and it forms a core part of Akai political thought today. Each Thearch is thought of as a living God who is an incarnation of the First Thearch who endlessly reincarnates along his line - who in turn is the God of all Mankind. The religion of the Akai was based on the worship of ancestors and god-kings, who survived as cosmic divine forces after death. The royal ancestors are called Tia (𢂇), "deities", and the utmost progenitor was Shangtia (上𢂇 "Highest Deity"). Shangtia is identified with the Pheonix, symbol of the unlimited power and possesses the "protean" primordial power which embodies the entropy of existence at bay and is associated to the constellation Orion. The Imperial Statolatry took its current form under Tiatu Lunkian but intensified under is grandson Tiatu Güngqan reform and expand its influence. The cult is also marked by the intensity of the Akai people's feelings for and devotion to their leaders, and the key role played by the ideology of familism both in maintaining the cult and thereby in sustaining the government itself. Imperial Statolatry is a core component of the government. There are six main recipients of sacrifice: (1) the Thearch, (2) former lords, deceased humans who had been added to the dynastic pantheon, (3) predynastic ancestors, (4) dynastic ancestors, (5) dynastic ancestresses such as the concubines of a past Thearch and (6) the other Elder and Lesser Gods of Thinsaw.
According to Bendiktas Volframaitis, the cult of personality surrounding the Lazin family requires total loyalty and subjugation to the Lazin family and establishes the country as a totalitarian autocracy through successive generations. The Thastfung Restoration incorporates the ideas of Imperial Statolatry as the central guiding ideal of the state and mandates the universally binding power of Imperial Statolatry. According to Sergėtojai International, the Divine Monarchy and it accompanying Imperial Cult, particularly surrounding the Thearchs, has been crucial for legitimizing the family's hereditary succession, and Bendiktas Volframaitis said in the that the "prestige of the Thearch has been given the greatest emphasis over everything else in Akai".
Patriarchalism in the Imperial Cult
Familism is a type of collectivism in which the one is expected to prioritize the needs of the greater society or family over the needs of the individual. This plays out on a large scale in Akai, where the Thearch is Father of the Nation and his brides their mothers in a form of Patriarchalism. Thus, not only are the Akai expected to care for their birth parents and treat them with all the respect demanded of traditional filial piety, but they must revere the Lazins even more. Familism in Akai stems from a combination of the traditional Monic value of filial piety, the neolegalist ideal of collectivism, and the Imperial Statolatry. As a traditional Monic value, the importance of the Clan has come to resonate through all aspects of Akai life, from politics to the economy to education and even to interpersonal relationships between friends and enemies.
Kaftrown
The Dual System of Government is the traditional diarchal political system of Acanic peoples whereby the Desi (temporal ruler) coexists with the spiritual authority of the realm, usually unified under the Thearch who embodies both the material and the sacred. Traditionally in Akai this has manifested in the deracinated clergy of court and bureaucracy (and its accompanying distinct aristocracies) handling the His Most Sacred Majesty’s Universal Temple being divided into two parts one which helps governs and a militant clergy loyal to the Thearch personally which exists alongside the militarised landed aristocracy. The actual distribution of power between institutions varied over time and location. The Akai term Kaftrown (Acanic: 法凡, Phadongmun: ꡰꡤꡏ) literally means "both the sacred order and temporal," however some suggest the alternative translation of "twins system of religion and politics." encapsulates the meaning better, due to the paternal connotations suggesting the existence of the Thearch.
As a result the ultimate ruler is the patron and protector of state religion and in the case of Akai, its god. It has been likened to a fusion of theocracy and stratocracy due the emphasis of the temporal as the protectors and equal guardians of the sacred. While some have argued that it resembles as proto-typical form of secularism, other scholars have suggested that it is an aristocratic governing principle for government in Akai as a whole. Under the Kaftrown , both religious and temporal authorities wield substantial political power, albeit through largely distinct institutions. Religious and secular officials might work side by side, each responsible to different bureaucracies and with slightly differing responsibilities.
It is speculated that in the pre-Thearchic Period of Akai history, clerics had extensive participation in government and were appointed state officials whether military or civil however this was a de facto arrangement. However it is believed that during the Western Lengzun Thearchy that the practice was formalised by a the 13th Thearch. While the traditional structure has been lost to time, the overarching principles has remained the same.
The only modern example of a sovereign government operating under the Kaftrown is the united Akai state after the principle was used as guidance for first the confederal Akai of Thearchs Lunkian and Qiakra and was latter expressed in different terms by Thearch Gungqan, although it exists in a highly modified form. In 1924, in an effort to conciliate and formalise government in the aftermath of the end of the Intercerine Period, the governors, nobles and marshals of Akai orchestrated the re-establishment of the classical Acanic monarchy with Siauöntshia Lazin as Thearch. Since the establishment of the Lazin Thearchy in 1924, there has been a return to this system. There also was the unification of the clerical and aristocratic militaries into a single aristocratic-clerical force directly loyal to the Thearch, something only intensified under Thearch Gungqan. Under the monarchy, the relative influence of the Grand Preceptor has diminished. Nonetheless, the position remains a powerful one and the Grand Preceptor is typically viewed as the closest and most powerful advisor to the Thearch albeit the position is in rivalry with other clerical bureaucrats and with the military.
