erictafoya 2309 Share Posted July 11, 2021 Inception and Development of the Royal Duma Sigmundic Date, 381 E.S.| 1828 F.A. 5th of Tov and Yermey | 5th of Sun’s Smile Krepost Palace, Markev An illustration of the Royal Duma of 1670 Written by: Igor Kort Published by: B&K Publishing Preface The Royal Duma and the Office of the Speaker were first established over one hundred years ago by King Marus II, with Sir Edvard Morisz marking history as the very first person to occupy the position of Lord Speaker. While the same core principles of the Royal Duma remain constant to this day, there have also been many drastic changes that have occurred within the Royal Duma and in general, Haeseni politics over time. The Memoirs of Lord Speaker Igor Kort, 381 ES | 1828 FA Pre-Inception of the Present Royal Duma Before the position of Lord Speaker was created by Sir Edward Morris under Koeng Marius II, there have been many instances in Haeseni history where the Duma existed as an advisory body to the Crown. This body consisted mainly of nobility, though some gentry did serve on these advisory bodies. The Royal Duma as it exists today was founded in 260 E.S. (1707 A.H.), though the very first Duma was held in 139 E.S. (1586 A.H.), dubbed as the ‘Winter Duma’. This Duma, lead by prominent Haeseni nobles such as; Sergey Kovachev, deposed Koeng Andrik II following the failed Deep Cold Uprising against the Holy Orenian Empire. Not only has it deposed Koengs before, but it has also instituted Koengs during the Duma of 163 E.S. (1610 A.H.) when Koeng Sigmar was elected as Koeng, and the entire Bihar-Barbanov dynasty during the Duma of 223 E.S. (1670 A.H.). A Brief Summary on my Predecessors Sir Edward Morris My very first predecessor, and the one who started it all. I can’t really say much about his tenure other than the fact that he was the first of two things; The first Lord Speaker and first ignoble Lord Speaker. Like myself, he supported those of common birth and lived quite the controversial life, though personally I would never abandon Haense. I wonder what it would be like if he and I were to ever converse? I wonder how our ideologies would differ or what his opinions of the Duma today would be? He’d probably be boring to me, he was Orenian after all. --- Prinzen Georg Alimar Now this one is a much more interesting Lord Speaker, and in my opinion was the first that should be called Speaker. If there was a figure the Duma should thank for its legislative powers today, it would be him. I admit, I do take much inspiration from him and that has probably formed some bias (which is a taboo for Speakers), but there is no doubt that Speaker Georg played an instrumental role in enshrining the Royal Duma as an essential sector of government. Out of all of the Speakers who came before me, he is the one I wished I met the most. --- Lord Lerald Vyronov Yet another inspirational predecessor of my early days, I admire the hard work, dedication, and loyalty of Lerald Vyronov, who is arguably the greatest Vyronov in history. The expansion of the Office of the Speaker is something we both have in common, though he likely had the more favorable ideas. Speaker Lerald oversaw the dissolution of the position of Lord Bursar, which was a dormant position under the Grand Maer, and the institution of elected term limits. I admit, I don’t really agree with the latter half that much, though I can see why at the time it was a good idea. Finally, he was the only man in Haeseni history to serve as both Lord Palatine and Lord Speaker concurrently. To hold the first and second highest offices at the same time is something that I could not even dream of imagining. I too wished I could have met him. --- Sir Konrad Stafyr, HKML Sir Konrad Stafyr is most known for his sponsorship of the Committee of 285 E.S. (1722 A.H.), as well as the institutionalization of the Royal Duma in Haeseni society. He also oversaw many medical reforms and expansions, something that I pushed for during my tenure as Tribune. Speaker Konrad would likely be very popular today as Lord Speaker, as he used the authority of his office to be impartial. It’s not that I am not impartial, rather the Royal Duma has, on more than one occasion, voiced their concerns about the integrity of my tenure. I wonder what he would think? --- Sir Sigmar Baruch, HKML Sigmar Baruch. I actually met him before, though I never really conversed with him much. Still, it was surreal to meet the predecessor of my great Hauchpader, Henrik Vanir. I heard his tenure as Speaker was as turbulent as mine, or possibly even moreso. Speaker Sigmar is known for expanding the Duma’s power, as well as becoming the longest serving Lord Speaker to date. He also oversaw the first vote of no confidence against Lord Palatine Markus Kortrevich, setting a precedent that the authority of the Royal Duma should not be threatened. Perhaps I could have taken a lesson from that, or perhaps he and I could have conversed more. His descendents don’t seem to like bastards that well though, so I’m unsure if he would even meet with me. More can be learned about his time as Speaker in his Memoir. --- Lord Henrik Vanir Great Hauchpader Henrik, the pader of my Hauchmametr Angelika Bykov. His early political career is probably the most interesting out of all of my predecessors. Back when there were political benches, he was the Leader of the Opposition against the Centralist bench. After he became Speaker, he dissolved the benches and oversaw the institution of Tribune as a seat for commonborn citizens. Now that I think of it, it’s kind of funny that the seat I gained prominence in was the seat created under his tenure. He also removed many seats from noble houses, which is a precedent that I authored into law in one of my most controversial edicts. I wonder what he would think of me as one of his successors. Would he feel regret about disowning his daughter, my Hauchmametr? Would he advise against all that I have done as Speaker? Is it possible that he would feel pride? I don’t know what Speaker Henrik would do, but I sure hope it’s mostly positive. He was family, afterall. More about Henrik’s tenure can be found in his Memoir. --- Lady Marya Kortrevich Yet another kinswoman of mine, though only through marriage. Not only was she the first Kortrevich to be Speaker, but she was also the first woman in history to hold the position. Sadly, not much can be said about her tenure, though I think an interesting thing to note is that she was the only Speaker to ever dissolve the Duma during a time of crisis. I only hope that I would never do that, for the reason that I don’t want to see any more crises occurring in Haense. In any case, there is no doubt that Speaker Marya had further encouraged the involvement of more women in government. --- Sir Osvald Barclay, KML Possibly the only other Speaker that comes close to my tenure in controversy, Sir Osvald Barclay was also the only Speaker to ever be removed. However, this is not to say he was a bad man or a bad Speaker. Despite his personal opinions on my failings as Speaker (despite those claims not even being by my hand), I still think that Sir Osvald is a figure that should be studied in Haeseni politics. While Speaker Henrik was the one who oversaw the institution of Tribune, he was the one who actually created it in the Osvaldian Motion of 335 E.S. It was probably his greatest legacy, so I can understand why he was angered when it was removed under my tenure. He also revived much of the lost culture and traditions of the Royal Duma, such as the Black Bulava. I wanted to ensure this part of his legacy was safe, so I enshrined it into law in the Winter Edict. Like I mentioned before, Sir Osvald was removed after signs of partiality were shown and after a controversial conviction of a bandit. I wonder what he’s up to today, and I wonder if he finally forgives me? --- Lady Irene Sarkozy Finally, we move on to my predecessor and mentor, Speaker Irene de Sarkozy (formerly, Irene vas Ruthern). I still think that she was a greatly misunderstood person during her tenure. Afterall, she did do many good things as Speaker such as the removal of the messy cohort system and maintaining the balance between nobility and representatives. She also oversaw the passing of a record total of fifty-five legislative motions in Duma, which a good portion of those I have a claim to. I remember the days when Irene and I would converse in what is now my office. She was a very tidy Speaker, which differs from my tendency to keep the office riddled with ink stains and crumpled up documents. I can’t help but say that I did admire her, though I would have never tried to make a move on her. This made it much more difficult when she was found guilty of High Treason and was executed after failing to assassinate Koeng Heinrik II. I understood why it was necessary, though that didn’t make it any easier for me. I wonder what she would think of her successor. She wrote two memoirs, that being The Vitality of the Royal Duma and The New Haense, where she resigned so that I could succeed her. My Career and the Present Day And now we finally move on to myself, Igor Kort. I suppose it all started when I first ran for Tribune. I still remember my first campaign and how unorganized I was in comparison to what I am now. I still am unorganized from time to time, though old habits die hard I suppose. One thing that never died was my passion and ambition in politics. I still hold to those passions, even though precedent suggests that I am to be politically impartial. I always say that you never forget your first Duma session, and I surely remember my first. I also remember going on a binge of unhealthy sleeping and eating habits just to get my first three bills completed. I enjoyed a two year break from politics after adventuring Almaris and creating a Grand Map, which I donated to both the NGS and Koeng Josef I. I had the great pleasure of serving alongside great minds like Sir Lorenz Barclay, Ser Franz Barbanov, Sir Konrad Lauritsen, and Dame Tarathiel Asul’onn. During my service as Tribune, the most notable of my legislations would be the Emancipation Act, Medical Trespass Act, Illegal Fees Act, and Foreign Intervention and Enforcement Act. I still wish my largest piece of legislation, the Jeremic Rights Advisory Motion, would have seen Royal Assent. No matter, I see now that that bill had many flaws. Despite these flaws, I was elected as Lord Handler of the Duma in 361 E.S. (1808 A.H.). My time as Handler was brief however, when Speaker Irene Sarkozy suddenly declared her resignation as Lady Speaker of Haense. As Koeng Heinrik II once said, “it was out with the old and in with the new…” I expected to succeed soon, though I couldn’t expect the stress that came with the position. I was appointed as the tenth Lord Speaker in 362 E.S. (1809 A.H.). This was one of the most hectic years of my career, as I had both a coronation and the election of 362 E.S. to oversee. My very first duty as Speaker was an essential one, which was to speak at the Coronation of Koeng Heinrik II, as well as have the high honor of piercing his nipple with the Royal nipple ring. It was an interesting first year, to say the least. In all honesty, I didn’t do much during the first few years as Speaker. I was still getting used to it after all. I wasn’t the only one who had to deal with adjusting in our positions. The Aulic Council nearly saw an entire change of councilors in the span of just five years. I have had the honor to serve alongside great minds such as Sir Friedrich Barclay, Maric var Ruthern, Marcella Barclay, Ser Brandt Barclay, Andrik Jan Baruch, and many others. I was only twenty-seven then. I was so young, so energetic, and still so positive. Things are very much different now, as time and experiences have altered my outlook. Whether it was for the better or worse is up to public interpretation. The ‘Edykt I Ala’ (c: Edict of Seasons) is likely my most controversial, yet likely my most significant legacy as Lord Speaker. However, I cannot claim credit for all of it. Ve Asserala Edykt (c:The Summer Edict) was originally an Advisory motion authored by Ser Franz Barbanov and Sir Konrad Lauritsen. It was their minds, as well as the creation of the edict title by Koeng Heinrik II, that started the trend of the ‘Edykt I Ala’. This edict removed the seat of Tribune, created further guidelines to the election, and instated the position of Royal Inquisitor to question Aulic Ministers. Ironic, as I was the first one to be ‘impeached’ by a Royal Inquisitor, not only once, but twice. This was the direct consequence of the passing of my first edict, Ve Nikirala Edykt (c:The Winter Edict). The edict was a rather large one, greatly expanding the culture and traditions of the Duma while also greatly expanding the prerogatives of the Speaker. Under this edict, the Royal Duma now required to be in the presence of the Black Bulava, elected officials were required to make an Oath of Office, and all representatives were required to wear uniforms during the ceremony of the Bulava. The Royal Duma was also assigned the additional duty of the creation and distribution of awards to those who are seen as worthy by the Duma. The process of By-Elections were also created, as deceased, removed, or indisposed elected officials were just replaced by the will of the Speaker according to the election results. Possibly the most controversial part of the edict was the expansion of the prerogatives of my office. I can see why it would be controversial, though everything I put on there served a purpose. Perhaps I did too much as Lord Speaker, or perhaps I didn’t do enough. Who knows? All I know is that I’ve served for nearly twenty years as of the writing of this memoir. Only those who come after me can really judge if I’ve done my job correctly or not. The Future of the Royal Duma Now I believe I have reached the tail end of my career. For nearly twenty years, I have served the second highest office of the realm, excluding the crown, and I believe I have done a decent enough job. The job now goes to my successor, who I believe will be my Lord Handler Ruslan Baruch. I wouldn’t say that I have the best relationship with my right-hand man, but I do know that he is the best man to succeed me. No other Lord Handler in history had presided over the Duma more times than he has, which is a total of four times I believe. In a twist of fate, Ruslan and I are also the great-grandchildren to two Lord Speakers, that being my great-hauchpader Henrik Vanir and his great-hauchpader Sigmar Baruch. Perhaps Ruslan will turn out exactly like me. Perhaps he’ll run the Duma exactly opposite. He may even destroy my legacy, or he could add to it. All of this falls on to him, and I hope that whatever he does is done with confidence and without hesitation. I hope that he cares about the culture of the duma as I have. I hope that he doesn’t procrastinate like I have. I hope that his term will not be filled with controversy, but I also hope that he at least does something with the office that is handed to him. I don’t know, perhaps I’m just tired. This job is notoriously known for being stressful and draining. I just hope that I enjoy retirement. I wish the best of luck to Ruslan, in whatever he does. The future of the Royal Duma is filled with much potential, and I intend to express the potential in a private letter to him. Perhaps that may be a new tradition I start? A letter to my successor wishing them good luck and everything right or wrong with the office. That way, they at least have something to do. For now, I officially let the future take over after this electoral term. May they serve the office well, as I wish I had. Godan bless, and Krusae Zwy Kongzem. Signed by, His Excellency, Igor Kort, Lord Speaker of Hanseti-Ruska Spoiler ((OOC: Big credit to @Zanthuzfor helping me with this great post!)) 19 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn__TWG 2616 Share Posted July 11, 2021 Fionn Castaway reads over the Memoir of one of his good friends whilst lounging on his balcony, smiling bitter-sweetly at the announcement of his retirement "Suppose I should've seen that coming, Ruslan getting it." he muttered to himself as he opened a bottle of carrion black, taking a small sip of the drink "Ah well, I'm sure the lad will do a good job. Besides, not likely I'll run again after so many terms." he'd get up and walk over to the railing of the balcony, leaning over it as he looked down at the obscene amount of dogs across the street "Plus I'll forever remain the only ever unanimous Tribune." he'd chuckle lightly before raising his glass of carrion up to the air "To túr retirement, Igor. May it be long and easy." he'd then lower the glass to his lips and take a hearty swig. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarmadonn 652 Share Posted July 12, 2021 Duke Ruslan Baruch had just received the missive from one of his Ayrian servants, dismissing the red-haired man afterwards. His thumb would gently pet the head of one of his turtles as he read over the missive, eyes narrowed. "Interestin'. Ah' suppose his time was comin' t' an end. A controversial speaker, but a man Ah' did niet have t' many issues wit'. Here's t' his well-earned retiremen'." Ruslan took a sip from his Carrion Black, before standing to depart towards a certain treehouse near Karosgrad. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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