Prince of Elwynn
The Princess of the Elwynnese Republic (when held by a man, Prince of the Elwynnese Republic), commonly shortened to Princess of Elwynn (or Prince of Elwynn when held by a man), is the current head of state and government of the Elwynnese Republic. The last Princess of Elwynn was Kamilla Winther, who perished during the Second Elwynnese Civil War. Under the Elwynnese constitution of 1671-1696, it was the people of Elwynn who elect the Prince. Elections were to be held at least every six years, with elections occurring earlier upon the death, resignation or removal of the Prince.
The Prince headed both the Court of the Prince (the executive branch of the Republic) and the Council of Eliria (the legislative branch of the Republic).
Role
The Prince of the Elwynnese Republic headed both the Court of the Prince (the Elwynnese executive) and the Council of Eliria (the legislature). In the executive, the Prince is given much leeway to form policies and publish instruments of governments (also known as decrees, edicts, regulations, etc.) in so far that they conform to Elwynnese law. In the legislature, however, he acts more as an arbiter and mediator than an agitator, and he is expected to be somewhat impartial in the meetings of the Council of Eliria. Moreover, the Prince is obliged to execute any lawful decision made by the Council of Eliria.
As Elwynn is a federal republic, the Prince's powers are restricted on the home front. The autonomous republics have their own legislatures and executives. As such, the Prince leads the federal civil service, the Union Defence Force, the foreign secretariat and other inter-state authorities. The Prince does this through the Court of the Prince and the Court's secretariats.
The deputy to the Prince is, under the Constitution, a member of the Council of Eliria that the Prince selects to the position of Steward of the Elwynnese Republic. In practice, the Steward has since the second independence of Elwynn been the most senior member of the Council in terms of years of service. The incumbent Steward is Firdaus Abdollahi Mehr (since 1672). After the removal of office of Prince Ander Avon-El, Firdaus Abdollahi Mehr served as acting head of state and government for a few months before Prince Frederik Haabye Truls was inaugurated.
History
- See Rulers of Elwynn
The title Prince may seem monarchical, but it was only monarchical and legally dynastic 1618–1653. The office of Prince was instituted much earlier, in 1573, after Elwynn and Hurmu merged. The title Prince was taken from the Hurmu constitution, where Princes had been elected by a council of elders or a Senate for generations. This system was transferred to Elwynn, where the Elwynnese Senate elected princes of Elwynn until 1604, when Nathaniel Ayreon-Kalirion was the last Prince before the Vanic era to be elected. Nathaniel's reign took an abrupt ending in 1607 when he was (falsely) declared dead. In his stead, a relative, Daniel Simrani-Kalirion was named Prince instead and the constitution was kept hidden and sacred. Daniel Simrani-Kalirion's reign ended with the communist revolution in 1613 which did away with all titles of old. In 1618, Nathaniel was restored to the Principate.
During the first months of Nathaniel's restored reign, the Prince was an elected office for a specific period of time, just like in the years 1573–1607; however Nathaniel issued a new constitution in a coup of his own, that made the Principate a hereditary position. Upon his first death in 1618 (he was later revived by Bous), he was succeeded to the Principate by his cousin Jonathan. When Jonathan in 1623 abdicated, his half-brother Noah succeeded. This began the Vanic era, and soon, the young Noah was named King of Elwynn instead of Prince, and members of the King's immediate family were titled Princes and Princesses of Elwynn. They continue to do in pretence.
Since 1573, eighteen individuals have held the office of Prince or Princess of Elwynn. Of these, three have been women (Liv Dravot, Eki Verion, and Helena Strand). There are currently (as of 1683) four living former princes (Frederik Haabye Truls, Eki Verion, Vilhjalm Noahsson Esposito, Noah Hallbjörnsson Esposito).
