A DISCUSSION OF LEGITIMACY - PETER IV OF OREN

[Javert 5573]

A Discussion of Legitimacy - Peter IV, Holy Orenian Emperor

 

A depiction of the Claimant-Emperor, Peter IV

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To all fellow Scholars of Humanity,

 

As I scour the records of human history, trying my best to understand the complexity of the politics of our ancestors, I have come across an interesting conundrum involving recent history. As many know, the Holy Orenian Empire in its latest rendition was dissolved following the bloody Brothers' War. Yet, one question has remained in an official capacity unanswered. Was Peter Augustus, also known as Peter IV, a legitimate ruler of the Holy Orenian Empire and thus worthy of being included among the annals of Imperial Rulers? I find myself stumped by the question, so I therefore reach out to my fellow historical scholars to bid you to write replies to this missive to discuss and debate this question.

 

Signed,

Albert Richstaff

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Spoiler

Think of this as an in-roleplay discussion post as opposed to an OOC one. Please feel free to write elaborate replies, I'd love to read them and I will respond back! I also encourage you all to respond to each other as well to keep the discussion lively!

 

[Nectorist 7423]

"One of the greatest mysteries of the late Eighth Empire is the existence of the enigmatic will of Philip III and Anastasia, or solely the will of Anastasia. Both rumors have circulated, first from from propaganda issued during the reign of their son, Frederick, who deposed his brother, Peter, and had him slain. 

 

From the beginning, Frederick cited this supposed will, one that called for his brother's deposition and the dissolution of the Empire, as his legal groups for usurpation and the formation of the Kingdom of Oren. What is notable is that, despite this will being frequently-referenced at the time and immediately afterwards, a full, unadulterated copy has not been found. References of it remain, but it is difficult to piece together a complete will, edict, or other similar legal document that would have provisioned the disinheritance of Peter and the end of the Empire. Later accounts, from just before the Battle of Providence, that the soldiers of Frederick's army were visited in their dreams by Philip III, seem to be another effort to retroactively enforce Frederick's place as his parent's chosen successor.

 

It may altogether be true that Philip and Anastasia desired to disinherit Peter in favor of Frederick, but as it presently stands, there is hard evidence that they enacted this into policy, and it is just as likely that this was a fabrication by Frederick to justify his uprising and seizure of Providence. Because of this, there is no legal reason why Peter IV would not have been the legitimate Emperor of Oren, even if for only a few months and without being coronated."

 

Adolphus Gloriana, Earl of Suffolk

[seannie 6860]

With Richstaff's letter finding its way to the Imperial Society of the Exalted Horen, its members debated amongst themselves the legitimacy of Peter IV, with one of its aforementioned, Tiber, adding in;

 

"Another peculiar case herein lies with the issue of the boy Emperor John VI, of the Adelsburg Empire, slain as a child and never ordained, yet considered by scholars to be the last Emperor of the Johannians - to conclude this quickly, both automatically inherited the Imperial title following the passings of their predecessors, and thus are to be considered Emperors by way of law, yet, per matters of deserving? Far more dubious."

"The mandate of Peter lessens even more when it is reminded that he had never come close to controlling his own Capital, and was instead forced to the hinterlands of the Grenz by his usurper brother for the duration of the war. The Cloudbreaker did fly above the Grenz during the ceremony of Peter's marriage to Lucia d'Azor, but considering the end of that Dragon, that's more a cursed omen than some Horenic divine mandate to be Emperor. Ultimately, Peter did not effectively rally the Empire to his faction, and was never ordained by the High Pontiff, which was to ruin all rights he had to the Imperial Throne - being thusly executed by his own usurping brother, who himself, being a seventh-born kinslayer, never had right to rule in the first place apart from doing so by might. A cursed house, truly - thank the Creator for returning these Novellenites to their senses in these modern times."

 

A summary of the Imperial Society's debate is sent to Richstaff, with an invitation to further inclusion.

[Minuvas 2884]

'Allow me to state this as a living eye witness, for I was there at the time of the young Emperor Philip III wedding to Anastasia, served as his Archchancellor at his side following deposition of his grand father, and later as an Imperial Prince when him and the Empress died - and shortly thereafter the subsequent collapse of the 8th Empire. 

 

The matter of Peters disinheritance might rest on the argument on whether one might believe Anastasia was vested with the full authority of the Emperor as co-regnant. The scholars of my time were split, many believing Empress Anastasia's authority came only from her living husband while others believing her authority was valid and independent of Emperor Philip III.

 

I am of the latter camp; believing Empress Anastasia to be a rightful inheritor to the throne of man, if even only briefly - and her decrees did carry the full weight of law for the time of her brief and sickly reign. 

 

However, I will state for the record this matter is moot. My family has served as confidant to the Imperial family since the time of Johannesburg, and I can say with confidence that Frederick was never intended to rule. The decree, a fabrication of Fredericks supporters - and he did surround himself with sycophants.

 

Peter IV, and his line are the legal inheritors to the Imperial throne, and the legal mechanisms for this succession remain unviolated. 

 

Peter IV suffered from a bout of poor general ship, and Frederick an over abundance in skullduggery - but this should not detract from Emperor Peter IIIs rightful, if very brief, reign. The last Emperor of his time. '

 

Minuvas Melphestaus

[sergisala 2794]

The scholar Marc Galbraith delivered the following remarks after reading this missive:

 

"While it is true that the blessing of the High Pontiff grants the spiritual legitimacy that is necessary in order to bear the Imperial title of Holy Orenian Emperor, it is also obvious that the Emperors of Oren of that time already assumed the Imperial Throne and beared such Imperial title since the death or abdication of their progenitors, and that the Imperial Coronation was merely a formality. John VIII, for instance, was already Emperor since the time his father Joseph II perished. John VIII's coronation was simply a formality.

 

At the same time, Peter IV was the rightful emperor of Oren according to all the inheritance rules of the Eight Empire, as he was the eldest son of Philip III when the succession occured.

 

It could also be argued, though, that Peter IV's lack of control of the Imperial capital causes him not to be worthy of the imperial title, but in the history books we find that former emperors like Joseph I of Marna never managed to achieve control over the capital and, at the same time, it is undeniable that Peter IV had an effective control over certain parts of the Imperial Crownlands, such as the Grenz region and other regions from where he effectively ruled as emperor and was seen as the rightful emperor in the eyes of his followers.

 

For these reasons, I deem Peter IV's reign to be completely legitimate, even though I understand the historic concerns regarding the legitimacy of his imperial title.

 

At the end of the day, the reign of Peter IV will always be considered legitimate in the eyes of all the Imperial Orenian supporters, for he was the living spirit of the Empire, both in virtue and in spirit, and he sought to continue the Empire's legacy with his actions, while his brother Frederick sought only the Empire's dissolution.

 

Sincerely,

Marc Galbraith

Scholar of the Imperial Society"