Emperor and Autocrat of All the Laurasians


 * {| align="right" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" class="infobox" style="font-size: 89%; height: 250px; width: 200px; "

! colspan="2" scope="col" style="font-size: 120%; text-align: center; "|Emperor and Autocrat of All the Laurasians ! colspan="2" scope="col" style="font-size: 120%; text-align: center; "| The Emperor of Laurasia, officially the Emperor and Autocrat of All the Laurasians, and also known as the Laurasian Emperor, the Emperor of the Galaxy, or (rarely), as the Galactic Emperor, is the absolute sovereign and head of state of the Laurasian Empire. If the monarch is female, the official title of the sovereign is Empress and Autocrat of All the Laurasians. The terms "monarch", "sovereign", and "autocrat" are used to refer to a ruler of either gender, and these terms will be used interchangeably throughout the article. As an absolute monarch, the Laurasian sovereign wields complete, unbridled, and unlimited authority over the Laurasian Empire, the Laurasians and all of the worlds and other species in the galaxy, and the Laurasian government. He or she wields a extensive variety of official, ceremonial, diplomatic, and representational functions. According to Imperial law, the person of the sovereign is inviolable and his or her authority is vested by the Lord Almitis.
 * Incumbent
 * Lysimachus II of Laurasia
 * Incumbent has ruled since
 * 24 March 1803
 * Style
 * His Imperial Majesty
 * Official residence
 * Quencilvanian Palace primary residence
 * Monarchy first established
 * 412
 * Monarchy constituted in Imperial Form
 * 1321
 * }
 * Monarchy first established
 * 412
 * Monarchy constituted in Imperial Form
 * 1321
 * }
 * }

The Laurasian Monarchy traces its origins to the 5th century AH, when in AH 412, Laurasia Prime and the Laurasian Purse Worlds emerged as a independent kingdom from the authority of the Sennacherid Empire, a breakaway state of the Arachosian Empire of Sargon the Conqueror. The Laurasian nobleman Arasces was proclaimed the first King of All the Laurasians. Laurasia prospered under its first kings during the First Laurasian Period (412-630), which lead to the kingdom becoming a major power in the Core Worlds. The powers of these early kings were, however, limited by the Royal Administrative Senate and by the various Assemblies of Representatives, which possessed legislative authority. The Lacian Overlordship (630-57), introduced the concept of "central sovereignty": that is, investing the king and his advisors with legislative authority and elevating them to a position above the people, although in certain respects his power remained constrained. During the Second Laurasian Period (657-840), the King was a more powerful monarch, although he could still be counteracted by the nobility and other circles in the government. It was the Dasian Period (840-1080), which introduced the concept of oriental despotism and absolute autocracy, investing the King with supreme and unchallenged authority. From 1080, Laurasian kings held the stile "King and Autocrat of All the Laurasians". In 1321, King Seleucus I the Victor proclaimed himself "Emperor and Autocrat of All the Laurasians", and the Laurasian Empire was constituted.

The full title of the Laurasian Emperors and Empresses is as follows:


 * His (Her) Imperial Majesty (monarch's name), by the Grace of the Lord Almitis and his Regents of the Universe, Emperor (Empress) and Autocrat of All the Laurasians, of Caladaria, Darcia, Americana, Charasia, Emperor (Empress) of the Solidaritan and Kazanian Worlds, Emperor (Empress) of Clackimaris, Emperor (Empress) of the Western Worlds, Emperor (Empress) of the Central Core, Emperor (Empress) of the Galactic Routes, Emperor (Empress) of the Galactic Spatial Regions, Lord (Lady) of Ipsus V and the Historical Worlds, and Grand Duke (Grand Duchess) of Briannia, Rebecca, Meaganian, Capital, Marshia, Clancia, Goldaria, Ivoria, Nathaniel, Polosia, and Crimeania, Great Prince (Princess) of the Venasians, the worlds of the Industrialized Borderlands, the Decapolian Merchants, the Vindictorian Worlds, Michael, Deanna, Acamaria, Eutagia, Way'tosk, Ond'iray, Bar'say, Par'say, Hooper, Sanegeta, Donguaria, and other Industrialized and Inner Territories; Lord (Lady) and Grand Duke (Grand Duchess) of Shenandoah, Boydaria, Roastafaria Major, Roastafaria Minor, the Melanie Worlds, Majoria Schall, Vickis, Uris, Choir, Hookshikk, Elijahana, Benzitr V, Cyrus III, Brooke One, Allison, the Merlite Worlds of the Wild Marshes, Galicia, and all south-western territories; Sovereign and Prince of the Barsar Regions, Kimania, Gabriella, Sheldonia, Maurya, Gedrosia, and all the Huntite, Robertian, Mereditan, and barbarian regions-Hereditary Prince (Princess) and Master (Mistress) of the Homidinians, Lacians, Scanlians, Mackenzians, Edmundians, Coronadians, Whoppiees, Chalassians, the Larkian Way, Sernapasians, Karakorians, Xilanians, Satians, and others in the northern territories; Lord (Lady) and Great Master (Great Mistress) of all the Dasians, Arachosians, Torfians, Ashgoths, Halegoths, Kuevians, and other war species: Guardian of Samarkand, Arachosia Prime, Vector Prime, Karakorum, Saray, Senna, Narra, Kalbacha, and the other worlds; Lord of the Marauders and the Species of the Void; Emperor (Empress) of the Galactic Borderlands, with the Kalbachans, Rasdallans, Nagai, Sassi-ruuk, Tashians, Rhedites, Supremans of Arachosia, Lavellans, Donnians, Billians, Tofs, Amelianians, Melanites, etc. etc.; Great Emperor (Great Empress) of the Satellite Galaxies, the Angelina Spiral and the Great Tesmanian Cloud; Duke (Duchess) of the Galactic By-ways, Defender of the Faith of Almitis and his Regents, Supreme Commander and Master (Mistress) of the Imperial Laurasian Armed Forces, and so on, and so forth, Supreme Ruler of All the Worlds of the Caladarian Galaxy.

Powers
The Sovereign of the Laurasian Empire is, as was explained in the introduction to this article, a absolute monarch and a autocratic Imperial ruler. According to Laurasian custom and the Codex Aureliana of the Laurasian Empire (the current legal code of the Empire, in effect from 1768), the autocrat wields supreme and absolute authority over the Laurasian Empire, the Imperial Government, and the various star systems, species, and regions of the Caladarian Galaxy and its two satellite galaxies, the Angelina Spiral and the Great Tesmanian Cloud. The monarch serves as both head of state and head of government, with ultimate legislative, executive, judicial, and military functions being invested in their hands. According to the official creed of the Imperial Government and the Imperial Almitian Church, the monarch is invested by "the Lord Almitis" (the Laurasian God) and his "regents, angels, and servants of the Universe" with his or her authority. As "autocrat of all the Laurasians", the Sovereign is held above all of his or her subjects. He or she commands the absolute obedience, loyalty, and respect of their subjects. The Laurasians inherited a belief system from the Dasians, that the only ways in which one could respond to the Sovereign is through means of rebellion, duplicity, self-interest, or submission. The first three could bring severe punishments however, and the last one is the one which the Sovereign normally expects. As a supreme monarch with authority considered to be derived from Almitis, the Sovereign is "above the law". There are absolutely no official limits on his or her authority, although in the past rebellions, conspiracies, and plots against tyrannical monarchs or weak ones have taken place. The Sovereign is subject to no other legal or practical authority, and as such, holds the power of life and death over everyone. The Sovereign is officially considered to be correct in all matters; disagreement with him or her are grounds for condemnation, punishment (or in extreme cases), execution. Not obeying the Sovereign's orders or commands is considered treason and interpreted as a insult to the monarchy, Almitis, and the Empire; this incurs immediate punishment, which the Sovereign alone determines.

With such extensive authority in his/her hands, the Sovereign thus has complete control and supervision over the affairs of the Imperial Laurasian Government. The Autocrat appoints and dismisses all major government, military, judicial, court, ceremonial, ecclesiastical, and administrative officials at will; these include the Chancellor of the Laurasian Empire (the sovereign's chief advisor and main subordinate), the Ministers of State, the Great Officers of State, the Governing Senators, members of the Almitian Holy Synod, the leading Justices of the legal system, the generals and admirals of the military (and of any rank in general), and the Regional Governors. The Autocrat wields supreme authority over government administration and the affairs of the Imperial Chancellory. It is the prerogative of the Sovereign to establish, reorganize, merge, or abolish any and all existing governmental councils, commissions, bureaus, ministries, agencies, boards, and organizations. All governmental bodies receive their functions from the Autocrat, are subject to the Autocrat's authority, and must follow the Autocrat's wishes. The Sovereign can modify or override any decisions made by any government bodies. All judicial rulings of the Governing Senate must be approved by the monarch, or can be amended or repealed by them at will. All orders of the Privy Council must be endorsed by, or can be amended or repealed by, the Sovereign. No government body is permitted to act beyond the limits established for it within the law. As the "master of the civil service", the Sovereign commands the allegiance and absolute obedience of all government officials and employees. All civil, ecclesiastical, military, diplomatic, judicial, court, ceremonial, and representative officials, members, and employees are required to swear a oath of allegiance to the Sovereign personally. The Sovereign is the ultimate head of the Imperial Privy Council, the leading government council which executes the monarch's commands and governmental orders, supervises the daily affairs of the Imperial Bureaucracy, and provides advice to the Sovereign, which may be regarded or disregarded at will. The Sovereign convenes, prologues, or dismisses the sessions of the Council. He or she may also allow the Chancellor to convene or dismiss meetings, when the monarch is not present. The Privy Council's proclamations require the approval of the Sovereign, and all orders received by it from the Sovereign must be executed immediately.

The Sovereign is the supreme and main originator of all primary legislation, holding absolute legislative initiative. Although the Council and the Senate both assist in the composition, compilation, and publication of laws, only the Sovereign governs their content. The Sovereign may also choose to compose the law completely by their own effort. He or she holds the supreme and unlimited power to create, promulgate, amend, or repeal Imperial Decrees, Edicts, Proclamations, Statutes, Charters, Codes, and other forms of law at will. The Sovereign also possesses the right to repeal or amend any legislation implemented on the Gubernatorial, Provincial, District, or Solar Level. No law from the lower levels of government can contradict laws issued by the Sovereign. The laws of the Sovereign also take precedence over the proclamations, orders, and instructions of the Council, Senate, or Synod. Instructions from the monarch are considered more important then those from the Chancellor or any Minister, Officer of State, or Bureau Director.

As regards to the judicial system, the Autocrat is considered to be the "fount of justice". He or she has the power to grant, amend, or revoke pardons, commutations, and reprieves at will. Pardons are the complete forgiveness of a crime, and as such, entail a complete abolition and override of the sentence in question. Commutations are the lessening of a criminal penalty, such as the reduction of a term of imprisonment, without the entire sentence being abolished and without the element of forgiveness. Reprieves are the temporary postponement of a sentence, with neither forgiveness of the crime or reduction of the penalty. As such, these are considered to be "the methods of mercy". The Sovereign can grant these at any time, right up to the very moment for the execution of the penalty. On the other hand, the Sovereign wields a absolute grip over the "methods of punishment". He or she has the supreme prerogative to arrest, imprison, place under house arrest, banish, fine, exile, condemn, or in any other way punish any person as he or she sees fit. This is without consideration to social class, age or rank, and with or without consideration to the judicial system of the Laurasian Empire, which itself is based upon a grant of authority and functions by the Sovereign. The Sovereign can also confiscate any property at will. Within the judicial system itself, decisions or court cases which have proceeded through the entire judicial system, or cases regarding the nobility and government officials, may be appealed to the Sovereign directly. This can be even after the Senate (the highest court of law in the Empire) has heard them. The Sovereign can confirm, amend, or reject the decision handed down by the Senate or the lower judicial body in question. Once that is done, that particular case is considered to be finished. The Sovereign can amend or override any decisions made by the Senate or any lower judicial bodies. No judicial ruling or case interpretation can have a impact upon Imperial Law, and no Justice or Senator is allowed to condemn the Sovereign's actions or declare any law non-valid. The Sovereign, besides appointing and summarily removing the members of the Governing Senate, may also appoint and summarily remove the Gubernatorial and Provincial Justices, as well as justices of lower levels, if they wish.

In economic and other domestic matters, the Sovereign is supreme, organizing and establishing the budget, also laying, modifying, or removing all taxes at will and establishing or revoking regulations about trade, commerce, and other economic circumstances. The sovereign is also in absolute control of military and foreign affairs; as supreme commander-in-chief of the military, the sovereign commands the obedience and loyalty of all military officials and personnel, who swear a personal oath of fealty, both to the sovereign and to the state. The sovereign declares war, ratifies treaties and alliances, imposes or revokes embargoes, sanctions, or bans against other states, establishes or removes diplomatic embassies, directs the actions of the military, and issues, modifies, or repeals any regulations or rules relating to military operations and discipline. The sovereign also receives diplomats from other galactic nation-states and appoints or dismisses all Laurasian ambassadors and consuls at will. Finally, the sovereign is the "fount of honor", the source of all honors, dignities, and peerages in the Laurasian Empire. The sovereign creates or abolishes peerages, grants or revokes knighthoods and honorary ranks, promotes or demotes all noblemen in the Empire, appoints or dismisses members of the orders of chivalry, and establishes, amends, or repeals all regulations and legislation concerning the nobility and orders of knighthood.

Succession
See also Coronation of the Laurasian monarch

Succession to the Imperial Throne of the Laurasian Empire is governed by the two Imperial Statutes of the Laurasian Succession: the Imperial Law of Succession and the Imperial Regency Statute, which were both promulgated by the current Emperor, Lysimachus II of Laurasia, on 26 April 1803. As with every other law promulgated in the Laurasian Empire, the two Laws of Succession may be amended or repealed by the Sovereign at their own personal discretion. Members of the Imperial Family and those individuals who are in the direct line of Imperial Succession are forbidden to renounce their place in the Line of Succession without the express approval of the Sovereign, as provided in a Imperial Decree or Proclamation. The Imperial Law of Succession also regulates matrimonial affairs amongst those in the Line of Succession. According to the Law of Succession, each individual in the Line of Succession is forbidden to enter into a engagement or to marry without the express approval of the Sovereign. Any marriages or engagements contracted in violation to this law are considered to be null and void. Children born of these illegal marriages, those born out of wedlock, and adopted children are ineligible to ascend to the Laurasian throne. Illegitimate children whose parents marry or whose parents' illegal marriage is approved are legitimated, but still forbidden from ascending to the throne.

Upon the death of the currently reigning Sovereign, his or her heir immediately and automatically succeeds to the throne, receiving the monarch's regal ring and a oath of allegiance from his or her new subjects. The ascension of a new sovereign is publicly proclaimed by a special session of the Privy Council, Governing Senate, and Holy Synod at the Quencilvanian Palace, with such a session being known as a Accession Council. The monarch also receives a more general oath of allegiance, this time from all the assembled civil, diplomatic, ceremonial, governmental, representative, ecclesiastical, court, and military officials of the Laurasian Empire. The Sovereign crowns himself or herself, according to Laurasian royal tradition, at the Westphalian Cathederal in Christiania, the capital city of Laurasia Prime. While the coronation is considered essential for the legitimacy and position of a sovereign, it is not necessary for him or her to reign; indeed, the ceremony usually takes place many months after accession, to allow a period of mourning for the previous Sovereign and sufficient time for its preparation. After an individual ascends to the throne, he or she rules with autocratic authority until death. No voluntary abdication of the Laurasian throne has ever taken place, although it is a possibility. The last monarch to be deposed from the throne by force was Titus II the Cruel, who was killed in 1685 in battle with Neuchrus I the Restorer. Minerva Greysius, who ruled briefly in 1753, is not considered a legitimate Empress in the line of Laurasian monarchs.

Currently, absolute primogeniture to the Laurasian Throne is followed: that is, the eldest child of the sovereign, regardless of gender, ascends to the throne upon the sovereign's death. Since the foundation of the Empire in 1321, there has been two female sovereigns: Didymeia, the eldest daughter of Antigonus III, who reigned from 1753 to 1758, and her younger half-sister Aurelia, who reigned from 1758 to 1803. Absolute primogeniture, however, was not formally adopted until 1803. The current monarch, Lysimachus II, is married, but his three eldest children are all males. Also, the succession law provides for a lengthy line of succession and alternative means of ascension if the sovereign has no children or no siblings. These alternative means include election of a new sovereign by a special assembly of all the leading governmental officials or selection by the Privy Council, Governing Senate, and Holy Synod.

The Regency Statute allows for regencies in the event of a sovereign who is a minor or who is mentally/physically incapacitated. When a regency is necessary, the next qualified individual in the line of succession automatically becomes regent, unless they themselves are a minor or incapacitated. The regent governs with the assistance of a Regency Council and has certain limitations on his authority. The statute also provides that if the sovereign is indisposed or plagued by a temporary physical infirmity, Counsellors of State are to be appointed (the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor, the heir apparent, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Defense, and two other officials) who govern the state during those periods and carry out many of the sovereign's functions.