The Kaiser
The Kaiser is the monarch of the Imperial Republic of Shireroth. Historically this position has been more autocratic, but with successive constitutional reforms zie has become more akin to a constitutional monarch, in fact not dissimilar to the role of the President of the United States of America. Zir roles are primarily externally-facing - the Imperial Government, which zie leads, having responsibility for foreign affairs and military matters - and therefore zie often assumes the role of representative of Shireroth abroad, as well as being a symbol of imperial unity, culture and history.
Contents
The Constitutional Position of the Kaiser
Historically, the powers granted the Kaiser were limitless. Zie was the fons honorum, granting all titles and holding all lands, granting them feudally in fief. It was only later after some Kaisers wielded their powers too rashly, and some contributors to Shireroth's lands became fearful of the cultural heritage of their territories being protected, that the current constitutional settlement was reached.
The Kaiser is granted powers by the Imperial Charter and the the Gods; both also restrict zir actions. The Kaiser traditionally administers, legislates and appoints people to certain offices via Imperial Decree.
The Religious (Cedrist) Position of the Kaiser
Originally, the Kaisers of Shireroth simply served as nothing more than warrior kings and politically leaders of the Realm. Their presence in folklore, myths and in religion only grew over time. The tale of Rrakanychan who was defeated by one of the early Kaisers (some sources mention Raynor I, but others depict one of his successors as the hero) is a primary example of the central role of the Kaisership in Cedrism. With the need to strengthen central authority, Kaisers often used religious customs and myths to unite the several ethnic groups under one banner.
While not holding any official religious position, the Kaiser is depicted as highest representative of the Gods (above the High Priests) an,d it's not uncommon for a Kaiser to transcend into godhood. Kaiser Mog I became infamous for granting land to another nation and became God of Political Blunders while Raynor II made an attempt to - literally - catapult himself into godhood by constructing a huge catapult. Kaiser Gaelen IV made an attempt to expand the position of the Kaiser by establishing the Imperial Cult, which received little popularity among the population.
Succession
Being an important position, to some extent in terms of legal power but mostly in terms of prestige, respect and authority to lead the Imperial Republic, succeeding to the Golden Mango Throne is very competitive.
In the old days, Imperial Decrees laid down a Line of Succession of specific individuals - friends, allies, people in whose hands he could trust Shireroth. Later this evolved to be just one individual - their chosen successor - and for many years this was a position reserved for the Steward. In contemporary Shireroth, Stewards tend to be appointed on an ad-hoc basis, and successors are usually named some time before the death or abdication of the reigning Kaiser. However, this is not always the case. For example, when Mira Raynora Minor abdicated without an heir, the resulting Cabbage Crisis saw Octavius raised to the Kaisership by Landsraad election as Kaiser Aiomide.
Imperial Household
Tradition
Kaisers generally reign for three months at most. This brings constant change to the government, and is justified in fantasy terms by the fact that three real-world months corresponds to over 90 ASC years on Micras.
Upon taking the throne, new Kaisers choose royal names. These names can be of either Shirerothian mythological figures (usually from Cedrism) or of some other interest of the Kaiser. For instance, the name of Kaiser Yarad I means "metal", whereas some others, such as Kaiseress Jadie I and Kaiseress Carol I, choose not to use a different regnal name.
It is an important custom that all Kaisers are descended from the first Kaiser, the unifier of Shireroth, Raynor I. Therefore each Kaiser associates zirself with one of the Imperial Bloodlines.
Epithets
A short-lived tradition started by Mors IV saw Kaisers attaching an additional epithet to their name after their reign, based on what they believed was the most significant contribution in their reign. The epithets and their significances are as follows:
- Kaiser Mors IV "Nerrolar"
- "Arbiter" in Benacian language, for his work in keeping the Lorelei Conflict from boiling over.
- Kaiser Ari i "Kaukainen"
- "Distant" in Finnish, for not really doing anything significant and being absent a lot of the time.
- Kaiser Alejian I "The Guardian"
- For guiding the nation through difficult times with the threat of the Grand Commonwealth and SPEAR.
- Kaiser Los III "Radarai"
- "The Scribe" in Hyperborean, for the creation of ShireWiki.
- Kaiser Mahamantot I "the Lawbreaker"
- Known as a lawbreaker for taking the Throne from Letifer III. Recognised by Mors V as official Kaiser and thanked for his attempts to revive Shireroth (even if it meant breaking existing laws).
- Kaiser Leto III "the Bold"
- for his doubtful reign.
A later move saw other Shirerithians give past Kaisers epithets based on any significant events or characteristics of their reign. These are not official. It has been suggested that Kaisers should formally open the Landsraad, and during that first opening the previous Kaiser should be given an epithet, but this has never happened.
Less Recent Kaisers
- Kaiser Yarad I "the Atomist"
- Ushering in New Feudalism, this Kaiser reduced the state to its smallest components.
- Kaiseress Semisa I "the Resurrector"
- As well as being named after the Cedrist Goddess of resurrection, her reign saw an explosion in Landsraad activity. Also she wanted to be remembered as such.
- Kaiser Letifer II "the Indisposed"
- For he was.
- Kaiser Alejian II "the Protector"
- Brother-epithet to the previous Alejian, this Kaiser was a preserver rather than a reformer.
- Kaiser Meskan II "the Soloralist"
- This great reforming Kaiser was taken of a strange Eastern-Apollonian religion.
- Kaiseress Carol I "the Maternal"
- For she was mom, and led Shireroth during one of its longest and darkest periods of inactivity.
- Kaiser Letifer III "the Unprepared"
- Named for the inactivity of his later reign.
- Kaiser Mahamantot I "the Semi-Unofficially Official"
- One of the greatest Anti-Kaisers of our history, and the only one included on the List of Kaisers.
Recent Kaisers
- Kaiser Fish XII "the Bastionator"
- The Kaiser who saw Shireroth move its forums from its own hosting to the Bastion Union forums.
- Kaiseress Rei I "the Blue"
- Our first Kaiser of Safirian ethnicity.
- Kaiser Cedris I "the Almost-Ousted"
- ... for that he was (almost).
- Kaiser Aurangzeb "the Remarkably Surprised to Have Survived Long Enough to Abdicate"
- The nation was surprised as much as he was.
- Kaiser Wythe I "the Educator"
- He reestablished the University.
- Kaiser Yardistanislaus I "the Ambassador"
- He took an interest in foreign affairs.
- Kaiser Ometeotl II "the Apathetic"
- This Kaiser didn't care much.
- Kaiseress Mira Raynora Major "the Constitutionalist"
- Under the first Mira Raynora Major, the latest Charter was passed, ushering in a new epoch of Shirerithian history.
- Kaiseress Mira Raynora Minor "The Younger"
- She succeeded Mira Raynora Major as Kaiseress.
Even More Recent Kaisers
- Kaiser Aiomide "The Historian"
- The Kaiser spent much time developing a history of the Keep.
- Kaiseress Semisa II "The Blue Fool"
- A Kaiseress of Safirian origin, widly criticised.
- Kaiser Trantor IV "The Hated"
- Probably the most unpopular Kaiser in recent Shirerithian history.
- Kaiser Mo'll I "The Old"
- The Kaiser was a kind and wise old man who ruled Shireroth from his small cottage in Lunaris.
- Kaiser Mors IV "The Returned"
- After having ruled before, in the 2nd century, Kaiser Mors IV returned from the grave to once again take the Imperial throne.
- Kaiser Sehml "The one without an epithet because nobody could think of one for him"
- The epithet of this Kaiser, liked by many, speaks for itself.
- Kaiser Redquill "The Meek"
- Redquill's reign was one of avoiding conflict, asking opinions, and basically trying to give everyone what they wanted.
- Kaiseress Isa IV "The Shortlived"
- The Kaiseress died several years after ascending from a heart attack.
- Kaiser Ayreon III "The Mangocounter"
- The Kaiser spent much of his reign working on budgets and economic proposals.
- Kaiser Verion I "The Financier"
- Awarded for Verion's perceived contributions to the Shirithian economy, the epithet proved to be ironic when it was discovered that Verion had transfered large sums of money to S.W.O.R.D. using secret financial constructions.
- Kaiser Daniel III "The Not Nearly as Controversial as Last Time So Good On Him"
- Not much to remember. He was very clean I guess. *cough*
- Kaiseress Kizzy "The Benevolent"
- Always wanted to do the right thing, even if she didn't always succeed.
- Kaiser Hjalmar "The Steady"
- For being a steady pair of hands at the helm of the Shirithian ship of state who skillfully navigated it past the many rocks and shoals of (international) politics.
- Kaiser Hjalmar Redquill "The Balancer"
- For successfully maintaining a harmonious equilibrium in the Imperial Republic where countervailing forces might have made a wreck of the efforts of a lesser man.
- Kaiser Dominus "The Limp-foot"
- Didn't do too bad for a man who fell into a bear trap in his youth. Shame about being devoured and subsumed into the corporeal form of an emergent demon.
Titles and Style
Any Kaiser is entitled to the following titles: Kaiser of the Imperial Republic of Shireroth, Thane of the Shirelands, Keeper of the Apollo Legacy, Wielder of the Sword of Vengeance, Grand Master of the Orders of the Dragon, Griffin, Phoenix, and Chimera, Sovereign of the Golden Mango Throne.
In addition to those traditional domestic titles is the Kaiser also entitled to bear the Storish title of Prince of Hvalafell and the Natopian title of Count of Dracoheim.
Any holder of the Golden Mango Throne is also entitled to the style of Imperial Niftiness or Imperial Magnificence for those who find the concept of 'nift' a little too twee.
Past Kaisers
Many citizens have had the honour of being Kaiser. They are listed below:
- Erik Mortis
- James Raine
- Harvey Steffke
- Aurefiction
- Gryphon Avocatio
- Ari Rahikkala
- Jadie Doran
- Scott Alexander
- Gregory Russell
- Shyriath Bukolos
- Eoin Dornan
- Bill Dusch
- Renee Alyssa
- Hypatia's Mom
- Jonas Windsor
- Hesam Jayatar
- Ric Lyon
- Jacobus Loki
- Corey van der Sluijs
- Ardashir Khan
- Malliki Tosha
- Carl Jackson
- Rossheim
- Octavius
- Jack
- Benkern
- Ryker
- Hallbjörn Haraldsson
- Edgard
The royal names of the Kaisers, with the dates of their reigns (in ASC) and the line from which they descend, can be found in the List of Kaisers. The First and Second Eras are fictional history whereas the Third Era and beyond are real.
