Safirian Exodus

The Safirian Exodus of Qinamu, 1663, was the orchestrated mass emigration of Shirerithian safir and their allies. Approximately 345,000 of the 350,000-strong safir community in Shireroth emigrated along with some eight thousand human citizens and denizens. Spearheaded by the then-Regent and former Kaiseress, Lady Kessei, it consisted of Safirian spaceships picking up Safirian citizens and allies during the second week of Qinamu. The motivation for this emigration has been variously attributed to the hostility of human denizens and citizens towards the safir, the perceived erosion of civic rights, and dissatisfaction with the economy in Shireroth.

Notable participants in the Safirian Exodus:

• Lady Kessei, former Kaiseress (1608) and regent (1663)
• Rei Miłárna, former Kaiseress (1575–1579), member of the Landsraad
• Daniel Ašura, former kaiser (1624–1626), ambassador to Hoenn
• Prof. The Lord Belledin, a human, professor of law, Imperial Inquisitor (1639–1663)
• Altea Lomax, a human, former Steward
• Âmi Lomax, a human, professional baseball player, considered one of the best pitchers in Yardistani history

Reactions

The news was met with undisguised jubilation amongst the cadres and support base of the National-Humanist movement, as the Safir had - of their own volition - now shared in the fate of the revenants and Deep Singers, leaving the "human supremacy" on the Benacian continent more firmly entrenched than ever.

Kaiser Ayreon IV, however, was troubled by this act. In an imperial proclamation (On the Safirian Exodus), he stated:

Their [the safir's] departure makes the Shirerithian culture and diversity the more poorer. We are immensely grateful for their nation's contributions to the Imperial Republic.

He was quickly rebuked by the leader of the Nationalist & Humanist Party, who said said:

Let us avail ourselves of this opportunity to discard the pretence that the active alien colonisation of our world was in any way a sensible or welcome development, furthermore let us take this moment as an opportune one in which to investigate fully and openly what sequence of immoral perversities enabled a succession of blue-skinned extraterrestrials to occupy the throne as though they had a blood right to it.

At this point, the Kaiser's right, by tradition, to issue imperial proclamations without the advice and consent of the Imperial Advisory Council was questioned by the Folksraad, and the Kaiser's personal secretary, Jalal Jahanbani, made a public statement ending that tradition for matters that may to a majority of the IAC appear controversial. The Kaiser responded by sacking Jahanbani from that position and his stead appointed the Marchioness of Sentratera.