Emperor of Barrayar
| Serg Vorbarra | |
| |
| Emperor Serg Jon Ezar Xav Vorbarra in an official portrait | |
| Emperor of Barrayar | |
| Reign 8th, 3rd month, 3002 - Present | |
| Royal House | House of Vorbarra |
| Preceded by |
Gregor of Barrayar |
| | |
| Born |
25th, 5th month, 2933 (aged 70) Vorbarr Sultana, Barrayar |
| Spouse | Empress Ekaterin Vorreedi |
| Languages | English, French, Greek, Russian (Barrayaran variants) |
The monarchy of the Imperium of Barrayar is the monarchy of Barrayar and its subject planets. The Emperor Serg Vorbarra and the Imperial Family take many duties of government, official, ceremonial and representative. As a semi-parliamentary monarch, the Emperor is partially restricted in the functions of government. Imperial power is intended to be, under ordinary circumstances, a ruling power, balancing the other powers (the Government and the Council of Counts). The sovereign powers are ordinarily partly delegated to other entities by various laws.
- Legislative power is exercised by the Crown-in-Council. The Council of Counts can approve or reject the laws, although decrees and regulations are issued under the sole responsibility of the Emperor.
- Executive power is exercised by the Government of the Empire, on the basis of directives issued by the Emperor and subject to the confidence relationship between the Prime Minister of the Empire and the Crown.
- Judicial power is exercised by Judges and Promoters of Justice, which enjoy judicial independence from the government but not full independence from the Emperor.
The centre of the Barrayaran autocracy is the person of the Emperor himself, a sovereign with near absolute authority. The rights of state power in their most extent belong to the Emperor. Power is further entrusted by him to persons and institutions, acting in his name, by his orders, and within the limits laid down for them by law. The purpose of the system is to benefit the entire country.
A metaphor exists likening Emperor to the father, and all of the subjects of the Empire, to his children.
The other key feature is related to patrimonialism. In Barrayar the Emperor owns a relevant proportion of the state (the entire planet of Sergyar, lands, enterprises, etc.).
To the common people, the Emperor is seen as responsible for all good in their lives, while all disasters came from meddling bureaucrats, functionaries, and nobles.
Contents
Succession laws
The order of succession to the Imperial Throne is governed by the salic laws. It totally excludes females from the succession, giving the throne only to male heirs. To determine the Crown Prince and legitimate successor as a method is followed that of male primogeniture. The older line of descent has always precedence over the young line, anyway. The older children have priority over younger children. The right of succession, therefore, belongs to the eldest son of the reigning sovereign.
Regency Acts
The Regency Acts are Acts of the Joint Council, passed with a majority of three quarters, providing a regent if the reigning monarch is to be incapacitated or a minor (under the age of 20). Regency acts are passed under a general provision for a regent.
According to the Regency General Law, presently in force, there is provision for the establishment of a Regency either on account of the minority of the monarch or of the absolute incapacity of the Sovereign to discharge the Imperial Functions.
Regency in the case of the minority of the Sovereign
According to the Regency General Law in force, as well as according to traditions and conventions, if the Emperor is under the age of 20 years when he succeeds to the Throne, a Regency is automatically established, and, until he attains the age of 20 years, the royal functions are discharged by the Regent in the name and on behalf of the Sovereign.
In that case, any oaths or declarations required by statute to be taken by the Emperor are postponed until the Emperor's personal assumption of the sovereign functions, and for the purpose of all such enactments regarding acts new monarch must make upon Accession the date on which the Emperor attains the age of 21 years shall be deemed to be the date of His Accession.
Commander in Chief
Command-in-chief of the Imperial Service is vested in the Emperor of Barrayar. All troop deployment and disposition orders, including declarations of war, fall within the Imperial Prerogative and are issued as Sovereign Orders, which must be signed by the monarch. The Monarch generally follows the advice of his ministers.
The Emperor appoints, on the advice of the Prime Minister, a Chief of the General Staff (CDS) as the highest ranking commissioned officer in the forces, and who, as head of the High Command, commands the Service from the Imperial Service Headquarters (ISHQ) in Vorbarr Sultana. On the High Command sit the heads of the environmental commands – the Space Command, the Ground Force Command, the Air Command and the Landing Command – who collectively advice the operational commands of the Service – the Barrayar Command, the Komarr Force Command, the Sergyar Command, the External Command, the Operations Command, the Operational Support Command, the Military Intelligence Service and the Imperial Security. The sovereign and most other members of the Imperial Family also act as officers of Imperial Service.
The Emperor, even if in his minority, is always nominally in charge of the Imperial Service. During the Regency, his capacity of Commander-in-Chief is suspended and exercised by the Regent: every son of ruling Emperor or of Crown Prince is formally inducted into the armed forces at the age of four.
Imperial Family
The Imperial Family is the close family of the Emperor. The imperial family includes the spouse of the reigning monarch, the surviving spouse of a deceased former monarch, grandparents, sons, grandsons and granddaughters male female unmarried brothers, unmarried sisters, the first and second cousins of the Sovereign and their spouses. When an Emperor abdicates, the Imperial Family also includes the abdicatario sovereign.
Although there is a strictly formal definition for membership in the Imperial Family, who is part bears the title of His Imperial Highness.
Members of the Imperial Family represent the monarch in various situations in the Empire, sometimes covering real tasks of colonial rule and more often for special events and ceremonies, even if they have, except the Crown Prince, a role defined for the they belong to the Imperial Family. All male members of the Imperial Family are to serve in the military.
The Imperial Household is the name by which it covers the whole ceremonial, religious, domestic and military entourage around the Imperial Family and the families of its members. Next to the Imperial House, centred on the Sovereign, any other member of the Imperial Family has its own personal staff, always falling within the Imperial Household, albeit with wide margins of autonomy.
Imperial Households
The Imperial Households of the Empire are the collective departments which support members of the Imperial Family. Many members of the Imperial Family who undertake public duties have separate Households. They vary considerably in size, from the large Imperial Household which supports the reigning Emperor to the household of the Prince Vorbarra (the eldest son of the Crown Prince) and Prince Ezar (the younger brother), with fewer then ten members.
In addition to the royal officials and support staff, the Emperor's own household incorporates representatives of other sectors of the Realm, including the Military. Defence chiefs, several clerics, scientists, musicians poets, and artists hold honorary positions within the Imperial Household. The Great Officers of the Household are the Lord Chamberlain, the Lord Steward and the Master of the Horse.
Broad organization
The Imperial Household is coordinated by the Lord Chamberlain (Lord Gregor Vorkeres, since 3001), and organised into a number of functionally separate units. The Lord Chamberlain's Committee includes most important departmental heads, and supports the Lord Chamberlain. The Lord Chamberlain is the senior official of the Imperial Household and oversees its business, including liaising with the other senior officers of the Household, chairing Heads of Department meetings, and advising in the appointment of senior Household officials. The Lord Chamberlain also undertakes ceremonial duties and serves as the channel of communication between the Sovereign and the Council of Counts.
The Lord Steward of the Household is an important official of the Imperial Household. He is always a member of the Government, although the post does not have, per se, any voting right. The Lord Steward receives his appointment from the Emperor in person, and bears a white cavalry lance as the emblem and warrant of his authority. The Master of the Household is a white-staff officer, i.e. dependent on the Lord Steward. The Lord Steward or his deputies administer the oaths to the Imperial officials. In certain cases (messages from the sovereign under the sign-manual) the lords with white staves are the proper persons to bear communications between the Sovereign and the Joint Councils.
The Master of the Horse is once an important official of the sovereign's household. The Master of the Horse is the third dignitary of the court, and is always a member of the Government, a Count or an Heir, a military officer and a Privy Councillor. All matters connected with the military, the horses, the hounds of the sovereign, as well as the stables and coachhouses, the stud, mews and the kennels, are within his jurisdiction. The Gentlemen of the Horse have daily oversight of the Imperial Mews, which provides vehicular transport for the Sovereign. Train travel is arranged by the Royal Travel Office, which also co-ordinates air transport, also under the Master of the Horse's jurisdiction. Both the Pages of Honour and the Equerries are under the authority of the Master of the Horse. The latter are functionally closer to the Private Secretary's Office. There are three Equerries in Ordinary to the Sovereign, and a larger number of Equerries in Extraordinary - usually retired senior officers with some connection to the Imperial Household. The Equerries in Extraordinary are seldomly ever required for duty, but the Equerries in Ordinary are in attendance on the Sovereign on a daily basis. The senior Equerry also holds the position of Deputy Master of the Household.
Appointment and Dismissal of the Prime Minister and Ministers
Whenever necessary, the Monarch is responsible for appointing a new Prime Minister. The Sovereign appoints an individual who could obtain a the support of the Council of Counts, although there is no need of a confidence vote. The Prime Minister takes office by attending the Monarch in private audience, and after Kissing Hands that appointment is immediately effective without any other formality or instrument.
The Emperor appoints and can dismiss the Prime Minister and the Ministers if they do not agree with policy pursued by Emperor.
Privy Council
The Privy Council of the Empire of Barrayar is the supreme state advisory body to the Emperor in Barrayar, composed of people whom the Emperor could trust. The number of members can vary at the Emperor's decision: however, by customary tradition, half of its members are appointed by the Emperor from persons distinguished at civil and military service. The main duty of the Council is the preliminary investigation for promulgation and abrogation of laws.
There are four departments of the Council: Legislative; Civil Administration; State Economy; and Industry, Science and Commerce. Each department has its own presiding officer (Secretary) and meets separately to discuss matters assigned, as well as various subcommittees. There are also plenary sessions of the whole Council, presided over by the Lord President of the State Council, if the Emperor chooses to do not preside.
Membership is generally for life, although the death of an Emperor brings an immediate dissolution of the Council. By mere tradition, however, the new Emperor reappoints all members of the Council after its dissolution. The Emperor can at any time remove an individual from the Council: individuals may choose to resign to avoid expulsion.
The Privy Council Office provides secretariat and administrative support to the Lord President of the Council in his capacity of president of the Privy Council. The head of the office is the Clerk of the Privy Council.
Meetings
Departmental meetings of the Privy Council are normally held twice each month, while plenary sessions are held once a trimester and subcommittee meetings are held on need. The quorum is three. The Emperor attends the meeting, although this is not mandatory.
Full meetings of the Privy Council are mandatory to be held when the reigning Sovereign announces his own engagement; or when there is a Demise of the Crown, either by the death or abdication of the monarch and in case of a Regency. In the case of a demise of the crown, the Privy Council makes a proclamation declaring the accession of the new Sovereign. It is also customary for the new Sovereign to make an allocution to the Privy Council on that occasion.
Functions
The Council as a whole examines projects of law proposed by the ministers who are ex-officio members. They have authority to make non binding proposals of changes to the law, but they cannot examine anything that is not submitted to them for examination or decision making authority. The Council only makes recommendations to the monarch who could support the majority, minority or disregard the Council's recommendations completely as he sees fit. The members have no right to attend all meetings of the Privy Council, and only some are summoned to each meeting.
Sergyaran Crown Dependency
The Sergyaran Crown Dependency is a special imperial institution. The Crown dependency is a personal possession and property of the Imperial Crown, but formally not part of the Imperial State. The Imperial State is solely responsible for defense and international representation.
On Sergyar the Monarch is represented by a Viceroy in charge of the Government: although the Viceroy retains the same status of Komarran Viceroy (the Imperial Counsellor), legally is a very different figure. While the Imperial Counsellor is a state institution, the Viceroy of Sergyar is a mere proprietor's representative.
In any case Sergyar is not a sovereign nation and the legislative power is ultimately held by the Council of Counts. The acts of the Council of Counts do not affect Dependency, except where expressly stated.
Imperial Auditors
The Imperial Auditor is a position in the Emperor's staff, earned via appointment by the Emperor and speak with his Voice. Voice is the legal concept of proxy which bestows the hierarchical authority of one person upon another of otherwise lesser rank. There exist eight permanent Auditors and the Ninth Temporary Auditor, often drawn from people with relevant military or diplomatic background. Imperial Auditors hold their appointments till death, retirement, impeachment, or until the Emperor rescinds the appointment. Usually, they serve for life.
The impeachment of an Imperial Auditor requires a three quarters majority vote of the Ministers and the Counts in full joint session assembled.
Ninth Auditor
The position of Ninth Imperial Auditor is always left open, to be filled by appointment as needed. If a situation that requires a specialized knowledge outside of a usual Auditor's skill set is needed, an appropriate expert will be found, and given the leeway to investigate as needed. There are some limits to a Ninth Auditor's powers, as he cannot order executions and any arrests he makes must be related to the case and should likely have sufficient evidence to present to a prosecutor.
Origins and duties
Imperial Auditors were originally the Emperor's financial auditors: they made sure that the aristocrats were correctly paying the Emperor his taxes. Because they speak with the Emperor's Voice, they soon became feared. The appearance of an Auditor is an immediate concern for all those involved. On modern Barrayar, Imperial Auditors serve more as Special Investigators, although they still retain their powers and authorities, and often they use them, and are usually sent to try to solve problems that have escaped conventional problem solving strategies. In some of their duties, they are analogous to special prosecutors, in others to the chairmen of special commissions, and in some to conventional financial auditors, but with far more legal clout.
Military hierarchy
By definition, the Imperial Military is under the overall command of the reigning Emperor or Regent as Supreme Commander-in-Chief. Consequently, in his role as the Emperor's Voice, any Imperial Auditor can command military forces as he sees fit. Only the Emperor (or Regent) and other Auditors as a group could override him.
Imperial Pardon
The Imperial Pardon is one of the key prerogatives of the Monarch, in which he can grant pardons to convicted persons. The Imperial Pardon is used to permit the monarch to withdraw death sentences, and in general to change any sentence or penalty.
Historically, the Imperial Pardon was widely used by the Emperors of Barrayar until the Ezar's reign as a political instrument in order to crush political opponents and to impose political favours. Lord Regent Aral Vorkosigan, in his efforts to establish an effective rule of law, greatly limited the practice, the most famous case being the Carl Vorhalas Execution. Emperor Gregor continued the practice of remitting to the Law the most part of Pardon requests, although he actually granted Pardon in some minor cases. Emperor Serg's tendency is to effectively use this prerogative.
Imperial Funeral
In Barrayar, Imperial Funerals are initially reserved only for Emperors and members of the Imperial Family. The decision to accord and grant an Imperial Funeral to former Regents or incumbent Viceroys rest with the Emperor himself, depending on the stature of the deceased. The state funeral for a deceased Emperor is arranged, managed and prepared by a special committee of the Imperial Household that is formed for the occasion.
During an Imperial Funeral,
- A National Week of Mourning is officially declared. If the deceased is not the Emperor, the period could be shortened to three days;
- The national flag is flown at half mast. This decision solely lies with the Emperor, who also decides the period for which flag is to be flown at half mast.
- A public holiday is declared.
- A casket draped in the flag of the Empire of Barrayar and the House Vorbarra standard as pall;
- A six-people casket team serving as honour guards in a ceremonial role over the remains and as pallbearers;
- The casket is transported via a horse-drawn limbers and caissons;
- The formation of the rifle party consists of 77 riflemen (17 Imperial Service members and a riflemen from each Northern District), firing a five-volley salute;
- The playing of Funeral March is performed by seven buglers and three trumpeters, at a distance of 40 yards from the grave site.
- A riderless black horse follows the limbers and caissons.
- A 51 gun salute is fired when being buried.
- An Escort Company from each Corps of the Imperial Service, as well as an Escort Company from each District escort the procession;
- The Imperial Guard opens the funeral.
Two highly decorated officers lead the funeral parade, carrying a large portrait of the deceased, followed by a group of numerous soldiers carrying large floral wreaths. A group of general officers comes next, carrying the Emperor's decorations and medals on small black cushions.
The flags are flown at half-mast outside of public buildings, while inside they display three black ribbons. Embassies and consulates around the Nexus are provided appropriate instructions: when the Emperor dies, flags are always flown at half-mast; usually, foreign embassies and consulates are asked to fly their flags at half-mast.
The body lies in state in the Imperial Residence or the buildings housing the most important office of the deceased. In other cases the will of the family it is followed. If the dead is not the Emperor, the family of the departed chooses the place in which the funeral will take place.
Vigil of the Princes
During the lying in state of the deceased Emperor of a member of the Imperial Family, living male members of the Imperial Family stand guard. The Vigil takes place after the Great Hall of the Imperial Residence is closed to the public for the evening. The Crown Prince and Imperial Princes relieve the honour guard, and are themselves relieved by the following honour guard after their hour-long vigil. All Princes wear their red-and-blues parade uniforms.
