Difference between revisions of "Myroria"

Revision as of 16:48, 30 September 2007

Myroria is a country in the southwest of Taijitu, on the continent of Arda. It is bordered by ocean on the north, east, and south, and by Canada on the west and Quebec on the northwest.

Myroria is an absolute monarchy with some definingly republican traits, such as the ability for the Empeurer to be impeached, as the case of Peté Tar-Ilium showed. The capital is Pelagis. It was founded in 1733 by Roosdan Vyarden. From 1963-1993 it was under control of Julius Belsen, a brutal dictator, and was returned to it's current state in late 1993.

History

Pelagian Empire (400 BC-1730 AD)

During the long time of the Pelagian Empire, Myroria was one of the foremost world powers. The Pelagian Empire stretched across Arda, over New Delfos, and even into some parts of south-western Eluvatar. It had huge tracts of land in the south of the central continent, and owned much of the south of the eastern continent. Many ruins of the Pelagian Empire can be seen in New Delfos, Canada, Quebec, northern America, and all over the wilderness, with some natives even making their homes in them. It had a lasting effect on the world until 1730, when a new group of upstart islanders from the east decided they needed more room.

The Pelagian-Myrorian War (1730 AD-1733 AD)

In 1730 AD, as the Pelagian Empire was entering one of it's natural waning periods, a group of people from the archipelago to the east calling themselves the Myrorians sailed west. The Myrorians were remarkably advanced for their time, having perfected the manufacture and tactics of rifling. The first city to fall to the Myrorians was Novrith, the largest seaport in the Pelagian Empire. From Novrith the Myrorians had a clear path to Pelagis, the capital. That fell in June of 1731, and the Pelagian Emperor had to be moved to Easteros to rule. By January 1733, the Myrorians stormed through the Arda section of the Pelagian Empire, conquering most of it and liberating the western part of it, which would later become Baltija. They then sailed west to reach Easteros, and took down the Emperor in October of 1733, forcing him to surrender. The government was quickly established, and the Myrorian King, Roosdan Vyarden, returned to Arda to be crowned on November 5, 1733. All future legitimate kings would be crowned on that day out of tradition.

The First Era (1733 AD-1963 AD)

After the fall of the Pelagian Empire, Myroria chose not to occupy the land to the west of the Southeastern Peninsula of Arda. This formed into the nation of Baltija, and for the most part relations between the two nations were cordial. The First Era kings of Myroria were mostly successful, if not notable. In the 1760s, the Myrorian Catholic Church was formally formed, after it evolved from ideals and theology of the Pelagian Pantheon. The system of The Great Houses was formed not long after.

The Second Era - Belsenist Myroria (1963 AD-1993 AD)

In 1963, the King Claudius XIV was shot and killed by the Grand Marschall of the Myrorian Armed Forces, Julius Belsen. Julius Belsen later said he was overthrowing the government to turn it into a democracy, but soon he revealed he had no other objective in mind than full power. During his regime, thousands died from being send to labor camps and executed by the government. In 1968-1974 the Myrorian Civil War began, with the government putting down the Royalists. It appeared that the Belsenist regime would last many years, but just a few decades later in 1993, an assassin believed to be working for the exiled Great House Hanso killed Julius Belsen. His regime, though short, established the Myrorian's particular distrust of Pelagians (Belsen being one of the few descendants of the true Pelagians), and their hate of democracy, which they believed would always turn into Belsenism.

The Third Era (1993 AD-Present)

In 1993, Empeuress Fredrika Guurith I, the daughter of a rich plantation owner and distantly related to the extinct Imperial Family of 1963, took the throne. She married another plantation owner, Marcica Quarrovth, and became a large part of Great House Quarrovth, which Marcica's father was the grandmaster of. Marcica would later die by gunfire when visiting a foreign country, and Fredrika re-married to the Eluvataran baron Peté Tar-Ilium. Peté became the Empeurer of Myroria, leading to a corrupt term, and was impeached for conspiracy to commit murder. His son, Meneldur, became the Empeurer and is the incumbent King.

Geography

Myroria is an overall snowy and cold nation. The North, mostly Great House Hanso territory, has a climate similar to central Canada. The South, mostly Great House Quarrovth, has a climate similar to New York through Virginia.

Politics

Politics in Myroria are very complicated. It is an absolute monarchy, however, the Empeurer or Empeuress has the ability to be impeached by the High Court, if they commit a crime or violate the Unbreakable Decrees. In addition to the monarchy are the Great Houses.

Great Houses started as clans of family and marriage on what is now western Takasia, where the Myrorians originated before they conquered the Pelagian Empire. As Myrorian grew larger, more powerful, and richer, these small clans turned into large institutions under Roosdan Vyarden. However, though the term "Great House" was in use then, they still were not political forces behind the monarchy. As more monarchs affiliated with and were adopted into these Great Houses, they began to become de facto advisors to the throne, somewhat like political parties. It wasn't until Claudius II that these Great Houses were officially a branch of government, almost taking the part of the legislature in a three-branch republic.

Though the Great Houses' power over the monarch waxes and wanes, they continue to be "advisors" to the King, but are in reality viewpoints that the monarch often agrees with, and sometimes has to agree with to satisfy the Great Houses. The modern Great Houses - Quarrovth, Hanso, and Vrotrith - fiercly hate each other and sometimes start "House Wars". House Wars are events that take place when something occurs to anger one Great House against another - for example, when the former Crown Prince left Great House Quarrovth and was adopted into Great House Vrotrith. In these House Wars, semi-illegal businesses assassinate House nobles or leaders. These could be very loosely called "civil wars", but to do so isn't entirely correct. House Wars rarely solve problems or change Houses; each House is so large its nearly impossible for one to "wipe one out". In addition, civilians are very rarely killed, and in most House Wars, none are harmed at all.

The current Great Houses are identified by their colors - Quarrovth is maroon, Hanso gray, and Vrotrith red. For example, members of Quarrovth are sometimes called "maroons", even if the technical term is "Quarrovths" or "A Quarrovth". These official terms date back to the time when Houses were real families; even if members of Quarrovth are not part of the Quarrovth family, they are still called "Quarrovths".

The Constitution of Myroria

The Constitution, and its Unbreakable Decrees, were set down by Roosdan Vyarden, the first Empeurer of Myroria, in 1733. It has never been replaced or done away with under a legitimate government (The Belsenist regime suspended the Constitution, but as it was not a monarchy, it is not considered a legitimate government).

1. The Unbreakable Decrees Codifying Myrorian Rights
1.1. The following constitute the basic rights and liberties of all Myrorian citizens. These rights may not be abridged by any Edict, Writ, or Decree issued by a Great House, the Court, or the reigning Monarch.
1.2. The rights and liberties afforded to all Myrorian Citizens by the Unbreakable Decrees include:
1.2.1. The freedom to speak upon any subject, political, religious, or relating to the general Civil Society;
1.2.1.1. The freedom to transcribe these opinions onto paper and to distribute the resultant pamphlet to others;
1.2.1.2. The freedom to gather with others of like mind and peaceably express these opinions through mass action.
1.2.2. The freedom to practice any religion, and to found one’s own religion;
1.2.3. The right to purchase, keep, and bear in public firearms necessary for personal protection;
1.2.4. The right to privacy in one’s home and effects, to be abridged only by the issue from a Court of a warrant based upon probable cause;
1.2.5. The right to procedural due process in the Court system after being charged with a crime. Procedural due process consists of;
1.2.5.1. A notice that one has been charged;
1.2.5.2. Reasonable bond based on the charge;
1.2.5.3. A guaranteed hearing before a Judge and Jury;
1.2.5.4. Reasonable sentence based on the severity of the crime committed;
1.2.5.5. The right to avoid self-incrimination;
1.2.5.6. The right to avoid double jeopardy.
1.2.6. Rights and liberties based upon custom and upon general practice, that are not enumerated in these Decrees, and which may develop over time.
2. The Powers of the Monarch and the Limitations Placed Upon these Powers
2.1. The Monarch is the source of all law in the Myrorian Empire, and is sovereign in this sphere. The Monarch may take any course of action that is desired.
2.2. Monarchs create laws by issuing Decrees to the Myrorian Citizenry. These Decrees are binding upon all Citizens unless they conflict with earlier Court Writs or with Article 1 of this Constitution.
3. The Great Houses
3.1. A House is defined as a group of citizens that assemble in order to advocate to the Monarch a specific program of action.
3.2. Due to the tendency of factions to multiply and splinter, forming ever more extreme tendencies, this Constitution recognizes only three Great Houses at a time:
3.2.1. The Houses most numerous in membership are recognized as Great Houses.
3.3. Citizens, including the Monarch, retain the freedom to join any House under 1.2.1.2.
3.4. Houses may adopt any system they wish for internal government of members, for accepting new members, and for the issuing of Edicts.
3.5. An Edict is defined as a general rule of conduct for members of a House. Edicts are not binding upon the Monarch, should the Monarch be a member of a House, and should an Edict conflict with a preexisting Writ or Decree, the Edict is automatically declared void.
4. The Court
4.1. The Court consists of five Justices appointed by the Monarch.
4.2. The Court retains the power to issue:
4.2.1. Writs of Review, which declare Decrees void due to their conflict with Article 1;
4.2.2. Writs of Impeachment, which, given flagrant and continued breaking of Article 1 by the Monarch, place that Monarch on trial and give the Court the right to dismiss the Monarch;
4.2.3. Writs of Injunction, which limit the freedom of Houses to conduct themselves as they wish, if their conduct is judged detrimental to the public good. Writs of Injunction apply to all Houses, and may not single out a particular House.
4.3. The Court may only issue Writs if a Citizen appears before it with Standing. The Court may not issue Writs of its own accord, except in the case of a Writ of Impeachment.
5. Religious Tests
5.1. No religious test shall be made to determine a Citizen’s fitness for the office of Monarch, Justice, or any other position in the Myrorian government.