INSTRUMENT OF GOVERNMENT

[Fishy 2710]

INSTRUMENT OF GOVERNMENT
FOR THE
COMMONWEALTH OF KAEDRIN

 

 

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Proclaimed upon 10th of Horen’s Calling, in the year of our Lord, 1730.

 

PREAMBLE

Writ by the hand of Frederick S. Armas, Esq.

 

The modern-day Commonwealth of Kaedrin is the historical successor to a number of previous entities, the governmental systems of all having been drawn upon and refined in order to provide the content for this document. The first Kingdom of Kaedrin, proclaimed at Ard Kerrack in 1414, serves as the genesis point of centuries of Kaedreni culture. Widely understood as ‘not a state with an army, but an army with a state’, the first kingdom was inextricably linked to the Order of the White Rose, from which the sovereign and Grand Master was elected in a pseudo-democratic system among the order’s membership. 

 

The first kingdom was dissolved with the Exodus of 1420, along with the knightly chapter. The Chivays later refocused their efforts towards Imperial ambitions, with the crown of Kaedrin becoming a subsidiary title to successive Orenian monarchs. In the early 16th century under the rule of King Olivier, the Commonwealth of Kaedrin was established on the frontier of the realm. Drawing on the democratic prototype (Though with no military order to speak of), the first Commonwealth was chiefed by a vassal magnate, elected in a ‘free election’ by members of the Kaedreni gentry. This entity persisted until the death of the last magnate, Cantonus Chivay, in 1543 and the absorption of Kaedreni land into the Duchy of Lorraine with the Act of Merger issued by Emperor John I. 

 

The current Commonwealth of Kaedrin has risen from the ashes of the old Republic of Ves, promoted by the House of Helvets who emigrated to the free city, bringing Kaedreni culture and philosophy with them all the while. Technically, the realm is in a state of legal personal union between Kaedrin and Ves, and while the latter does take a secondary role to the former on paper, a great many democratic processes are drawn from both systems in order to form the government of the new Commonwealth - an elective monarchy and quasi-military state unique in its role within the Holy Orenian Empire. 

 

Accordingly, this document, known in the long form as the Instrument of Government for the Commonwealth of Kaedrin (1730), and in the short form simply as the Constitution of Kaedrin, serves as a grounding basis for the governmental structure of the Commonwealth of Kaedrin, establishing executive and legislative authority in addition to systems of succession. 

 

THEREFORE, WE DO AFFIRM,

 

ARTICLE I. On nomenclature,

 

I.    That the formal nomenclature of this entity be, in the long form, the Crown of the Kingdom of Kaedrin and the Grand Duchy of Ves, and that the same in the short form be known as the Commonwealth of Kaedrin. 

 

ARTICLE II. On the King,

 

I.    That the head of state of the Commonwealth of Kaedrin be formally styled as King of Kaedrin and Grand Duke of Ves, in addition to the subsidiary titles of Duke of Cathalon and Lord of the Rhoswenii.

II.    That this role be known, in short form, as the King of Kaedrin, entitled to the address of such rank, including that of Your Majesty and sire.

III.    That His Majesty be sworn, in his coronation oath, as the protector and defender of the Constitution.

IV.    That His Majesty be selected by the House of Electors upon the death or abdication of his predecessor, through the calling to session of the Diet of Kaedrin.

V.    That His Majesty’s sons, daughters, and patrilineal grandsons be permitted to carry, throughout the term of his reign, the style of Prince or Princess of Kaedrin, entitled to the address of such rank, including that of Your Highness and sir.

VI.    That His Majesty’s royal person be immune from civil suit throughout his reign.

VII.    That His Majesty’s rights and privileges, and role in governance, be known as the royal prerogative, and that this royal prerogative serve as the realm’s executive.

VIII.    That His Majesty appoint a deputy in his governance of the realm, with such a position styled as Governor-General of Kaedrin, entitled to the address of such rank, including that of Your Excellency and sir.

IX.    That His Majesty’s Governor-General serve as his lieutenant and proxy in the exercise of royal prerogative.

X.    That His Majesty’s personal property remain separate from that public property he holds in trust to the office, the latter of which referring to property or finance gained through taxation or state enterprise.

XI.    That His Majesty be empowered to enact executive orders known as ‘edicts’, should they remain compatible with the text of the Constitution and concern those matters that do not require passage through the Diet.

XII.    That the command of the Kaedreni armed forces be confined to the royal prerogative.

XIII.    That the summons or proroguing of the Diet of Kaedrin be confined to the royal prerogative.

XIV.    That the granting of peerages within the Commonwealth of Kaedrin be confined to the royal prerogative, and that this process be known as the issue of royal letters.

XV.    That the granting of royal assent be confined to the royal prerogative.

 

ARTICLE III. On the Diet,

 

I.    That the legislature of the Commonwealth of Kaedrin be known as the Diet of Kaedrin, comprised of two chambers, the upper House of Electors and the lower House of Commons.
II.    That the character of the Diet of Kaedrin be that of the representatives of various interests to the King, when called to session.
III.    That the House of Electors be comprised of those holders of peerages within the Commonwealth of Kaedrin, a seat for which they shall hold until their death or abdication, in which case such seats are inherited by their legitimate heir, or attainder, in which case such seats are revoked.
IV.    That the House of Commons be comprised of those elected as members by the citizenry, a seat for which they shall hold until the next election.
V.    That no person shall hold a seat in both houses simultaneously, and that these houses must sit in two separate chambers.
VI.    That the Diet of Kaedrin be empowered to enact laws known as ‘acts’, should they pass through both chambers, remain compatible with the text of Constitution and attain royal assent.
VII.    That all laws concerning matters of taxation, spending or public land be required to pass through both chambers of the Diet of Kaedrin.

 

ARTICLE IV. On status, 

 

I.    That the Commonwealth does recognise the important roles of the nobility, clergy, gentry and commons in the composition of the state.
II.    That the term ‘Rhoswenii’ refer to those of any class patrilineally descended from an oathed member of the historical Order of the White Rose.
III.    That the term ‘ancient nobility’ refers to those belonging to a noble family ennobled, or in the case of a cadet branch with its patrilineal, legitimate parent family ennobled, at a time prior to the fall of the Third Empire in 1467, with therefore the highest pedigree.
IV.    That the term ‘lettered nobility’ refers to those belonging to a noble family ennobled at a time subsequent to 1467 through letters patent, with therefore lesser pedigree.
V.    That only nobility, either ancient or lettered, may bear arms and heraldry within the Commonwealth of Kaedrin.

 

ARTICLE V. On royal elections,

 

I.    That upon the death or abdication of His Majesty the King, his successor to the throne be selected through majority vote by the House of Electors, through the calling to session of the Diet of Kaedrin, and that this event be known as a royal election.
II.    That none shall hold blood claim to the throne of Kaedrin, it being an elective rather than hereditary station.
III.    That any candidate for the throne, to be chosen by the House of Electors be confined purely to those of the status of ancient nobility, the criteria therein enumerated in Article IV of this document.
IV.    That the chosen candidate of the House of Electors be a pure-blooded male human. 
V.    That the chosen candidate, upon his accession to the throne, must be coronated post-haste with an oath to defend the Constitution.
VI.    That the chosen candidate must select a regnal name consistent with the Low Imperial language. 

 

ARTICLE VI. On the Cabinet,

 

I.    That the executive council of the Commonwealth be known as the Council of State, referred to in shorthand as the Cabinet.
II.    That the Cabinet be appointed by His Majesty or the Governor-General in the exercise of the royal prerogative, with the advice and consent of the House of Electors. 
III.    That the Cabinet be entitled to the style of Secretary of State, entitled to the address of such rank, including that of Your Excellency and sir.
IV.    That the senior Secretaries of State be designated in perpetual roles as:
      A.The Secretary of State for Internal Affairs.
      B.The Secretary of State for External Affairs.
      C. The Solicitor-General.
V.    That the junior Secretaries of State, in nomenclature, be designated further by their respective and specific jurisdictions.
VI.    That the number of junior Secretaries of State and their associated jurisdictions remain fluid based on need and demand, also known as on an ad hoc basis. 
VII.    That the Secretaries of State retain wide-reaching executive powers compatible with the Constitution in their respective jurisdictions.

 

ARTICLE VII. On the judiciary,

 

I.    That the judiciary be embodied by the office of Magistrate of the Commonwealth of Kaedrin, entitled to the style of Your Honour and sir.
II.    That this office be independently nominated and elected by the House of Electors. 
III.    That the judiciary’s jurisdiction include the entirety of the Commonwealth, and that this entity be empowered to interpret and apply law both royal and imperial within this jurisdiction. 
IV.    That the judiciary, in matters of ambiguity, be empowered to interpret the Constitution in the course of hearing a case of dispute.