Post by Minuit on Jun 26, 2010 22:06:23 GMT 10
The Tortallan Monarchy and Government
by rachy and wordy
The monarchy and the government play an integral role in Tamora Pierce's Tortall, but there are many things going on behind the scenes that the readers don’t get see. Tortall operates smoothly thanks to many different people: the monarchs themselves are supported by their chief council, which includes the Prime Minister, Training Master, King’s Champion, Chief Spymasters, Lord Provost, Chief Healer, Commander of the King’s Own and presumably the Queen’s Riders, and other nobles of interest, such as Lord Imrah of Port Legann. The monarchs are then further supported by the Council of Nobles and the Council of Commons.
The Conté family have been the Tortallan royal family for many generations—through hereditary rule—since roughly 146 HE.1 Although Tortall has assumedly always operated under the reigning King and Queen as co-rulers, Queen Thayet is the first instance where we see a Queen Regnant first-hand, who possesses and exercises equal monarchical powers with her husband. Jonathan and Thayet have ensured that this rule is enhanced by changing the laws of succession to the first born child inheriting, whether it is a boy or a girl, to prevent the risk of civil war.2 However, King Jonathan and Queen Thayet do not govern Tortall alone, but with the assistance of many different advisors and councils.
The role of Prime Minister is crucial to maintaining peace and order in Tortall. While the King is more involved with foreign policy and international relations, the Prime Minister supervises the maintenance of internal Tortallan affairs. During King Roald I’s reign the position of Prime Minister belonged to Duke Gareth of Naxen; during King Jonathan’s reign, the position was given to Duke Gareth’s son, Gary of Naxen. Gary is King Jonathan’s closest advisor, and is very enthusiastic about his work. The Prime Minister is the governer of the Council of Nobles and the Council of Commons, and supervises over these jointly in the Grand Council. The Prime Minister also handles meetings with the Chancellors of Law, Treasury and Magic as well.3
Tortall’s monarchy and government would not be maintained without their upholders of justice. The main justice enforcement is through the Provost’s Guard, which are the Tortall equivalent of our police forces, while they are supported by the military – Tortall has both a navy and an army with general enlistment. Tortallan’s monarchs are defended by specialist forces – the King’s Own and the Queen’s Riders, which dispense justice in the form of capturing bandits and general threats.
The other main upholder of the monarchy’s law is the King’s Champion. The Champion fights on behalf of the Crown in situations where a law has been broken or a crime has been committed against the monarchs, or if a trial by combat has been demanded. The King’s Champion is also, in principle, required to oversee important matters if the King and Queen are absent from court; however, with positions such as Prime Minister and Lord Magistrate this rule seems to be unnecessary. The Champion continues in this role by overseeing matters elsewhere in the country where the ruling of the monarchs is required, and the Champion acts in place of the monarchs when this is required.The only exception to this rule may have been during King Roald I’s rule, where Duke Gareth of Naxen held both the position of Prime Minister and of King’s Champion, and was therefore capable to act in this capacity.
The Provost’s Guard are the main “police force” in the major cities, supported by magistrates and Deputy or Vice Provosts. The Provost’s Guard is commanded by the Lord Provost, who is either a noble like Lord Gershom of Haryse, or is a commoner enobled to take the position, like the Lord Provost in Alanna’s time. The Lord Provost is a key member of the King’s council, and in Beka’s time, laws were being placed into power to decrease the Provost’s power by the nobles in issues like approval for torture and so forth. The Lord Provost is in complete command, and is assisted by Deputy Provosts, who are in command of a district in Tortall.
With every law that the monarchs make, they must find a compromise between the progressives, conservatives, nobles, merchants, priests, priestesses and commoners, as well as making sure that the laws will not disrupt their trade agreements with other countries. Any liberal act that the monarchs make that was not met with full or reluctant agreement would lead to a civil war for Tortall. This is why Tortall does not only rely solely on the monarchs and nobles when it comes to making decisions that will affect many people from different backgrounds or social standings.
In addition to solitary positions such as the Prime Minister and the King’s Champion there are also different groups of people that contribute to the goal of maintaining order in Tortall. The Council of Lords and the Council of Commons are the two main governing councils in Tortall, whose members decide how the realm’s funds are to be divided and which laws are to be passed. Not much else is known about these two councils, or other councils such as the Privy Council, though it can be assumed by their names that the Council of Lords contains members of a higher social status—possibly noblemen or fief holders—than those who make up the Council of Commons.
Tortall operates under the system of feudalism, meaning that the land is separated into many different fiefs or fiefdoms. The King then bestows these lands upon his nobles in return for their allegiance: originally, feudalism gave nobles the resources to fulfil their military duties to the Crown if or when they were called upon to do so. The nobles are required to protect and care for the people on their lands and maintain order and justice.
The Contés have ensured that Tortall functions smoothly thanks to the continuing success of the monarchical and governmental implementations they have made during their reign.
Maybe once we'd have seen it during Smackdown!