Development Sneak Peek: The Imperial Court and Its Courtiers

Heya!! Hope your week's going well so far. Frankly my sleeping schedule has been an absolute disaster the past month so I can't believe it's only Wednesday lol

I already gave y'all a brief overview of Arsur's main levels of government in the May Sneak Peek, but now I think it's time to introduce you all to the various positions on the ✨Imperial Court✨ and their responsibilities!

THE CROWN'S COURT

First, it must be understood that there is a difference between the Crown's Inner Court and their Outer Court. 

The Inner Court encompasses the rooms occupied by the Crown on a more intimate basis, such as their bedchambers, bathrooms, dining halls, as well as the people who serve and/or join the Crown in these rooms. The Outer Court, as you may guess, refers to more public spaces, such as the throne rooms and the banquet halls where people not closely related and public servants will serve the Crown.

The Imperial Household, and its Imperial House, is an example of the Crown's Inner Court, while the Crown's Outer Court encompasses the nobles and elites who advise them in governance.

1. THE IMPERIAL HOUSEHOLD

The Imperial House
Aside from the Crown themselves, their family, lovers, friends and their successor are also part of the Imperial House. Aside from the latter, the former three do not earn any special authority merely by being related to the Crown, however, and if the Crown were to attempt to give them any it would cause a huge scandal. It is different if they already possessed rank or authority prior to the Crown's ascendance. 

Loved ones outside of the Crown's significant other are titled Crownsblood--the "blood" part of the title refers to an oath sworn by blood, not that of blood-relation. Relatives through adoption are included, and many Crowns in the past have at times declared their closest friends as Crownsblood as well. 

As for the Crown's lovers, should they take up any, there is a distinction made between casual lovers, styled simply as royal concubines, while long-term lovers of the Crown are titled officially as Jewels of the Crown, seen as equal to Crownsblood. A royal concubine can always be made a Jewel and a Jewel can always be "demoted" (read: dumped) at the Crown's whims. 

Much like Crownsblood, Jewel(s) of the Crown do not have any authority to wield in governing. As a result the court has no say in who the Crown takes as a Jewel, unless political implications would be severe, such as the Crown deciding to court a royal from a neighboring kingdom.

If a Jewel had their own rank/title before being courted by the Crown, they maintain those after being made a Jewel. Generally, though, it is considered questionable or even wholly frowned upon if the Crown were to choose someone of the Imperial Court as their lover, due to possible biases and mismanagement that could cause. 

The main exception to this is the Royal Protector, who--while part of the court--doesn't have much input into matters of governance aside from the Crown's protection and security.

Courtiers
While the Crown is at the center of Arsur's government, the management of their imperial household is an indispensable aspect of the court.

Traditionally, Zeratun is considered the main capital of the entire Empire as it is its administrative capital: this is where royal de­crees were issued, where provincial officials sent their reports and where visiting dignitaries were received. The Seat of the Crown, the palace in Zeratun, also was typically used as the Crown's coronation palace. 

However, the Crown would often move palaces by the season, visiting other provinces, and would take the Imperial Court with them. Typically the spring would be spent in Marabad, the summer in Ilwan, autumn in Arzo and winter in Rushem. The Crown and their court would occasionally return to Zeratun for great national holidays or during periods of political turmoil. 

You can imagine the Crown needs many people to manage the palaces, but can't be personally in charge of managing such a task considering their duties in governing takes up all their time. This is where the Steward of the Court comes into play: this Court Steward manages an administrative department responsible for all the royal palaces and royal properties within the Empire, and tends to the day-to-day needs of everyone in the Imperial Court. 

The Head Servants, such as Keko, is part of the Court Steward's department. Currently, the position of Court Steward is vacant in the story. 

While the Court Steward tends to the management of the Crown's household, the Royal Protector is in charge of the security of that household. While the Royal Protector personally guards the Crown's body, they are also in charge of the Imperial Guards who protect not only the Crown, but also the entirety of their Inner Court. 

There is also the Imperial Secretary, who is in charge of more practical matters: planning out the Crown's day-to-day agenda, and communicating to the court or the Mîr in the Crown's absence, is foremost of their duties. This position is currently vacant. 

Aside from the Court Steward, the Imperial Secretary and the Royal Protector, it is typical for the heirs of important noble houses to be educated and trained at court and become courtiers. Foreign dignitaries and visitors, especially friends of the Crown, would often be courtiers as well--this even included monarchs of other countries. Personal tutors for the Crown, or the Crown's successor, also fall under courtiers. 

The ones most favored by the Crown were often chosen to be the Crown's personal retainers as well; often times noble houses will angle their heirs to positions like these, in order to gain the ear of the Crown. The Crown's personal magi--usually healers, diviners and scholars--were also considered important courtiers. 

And then, of course, there is the most important courtier of all, considered the Crown's foremost advisor and companion, and their foremost expert on matters of magic: The Crown's Sorcerer. 

2. THE IMPERIAL COURT
Aside from the Imperial Household, there are of course the more political positions directly in charge of advising the Crown on matters of governance. These would be the Crown's Outer Court. I'll put these in a list with short descriptions for each title: I think the wall of text has been long enough lol.

• Ministers of the Court: These are heads of various bureaucratic offices heading different arms and departments of Arsur's central government. Among these, the Voice of the Crown is the chief minister in charge, representing the Crown to the public as well as being the main liaison between the Crown and their Imperial Court. This position is currently vacant.
• Minister of Law: The head official in charge of advising the Crown on matters of legality and law, accompanied by several imperial judges at their court, usually chosen from noble families and given lifetime appointments. These positions are mostly still occupied.
• Minister of Defense: The head official in charge of advising the Crown on matters of defense. They are the administrative equivalent of the High General, and in charge of management and logistics for the Imperial Army. With this position vacant, the current General has had to take over these duties.
• High General: Often times simply referred to as the General. The foremost military official in the Empire. All the Commanders of Provincial Armies are directly under their command, and they in turn report solely to the Crown. They work closely together with the Minister of Defense. Appointed after the resignation of their predecessor, not yet sworn in by the current Crown.
• Wisdom of the Crown: The head official who heads a group of scholars and experts in various fields in order to advise the Crown. Think anything from agriculture, to infrastructure, to public health, etc. Often works closely together with the Crown's Sorcerer when it concerns matters of magic. Vacant.
• Minister of Diplomacy: The head official in charge of advising the Crown on matters of foreign relations. Vacant.
• Minister of Personnel: The head official in charge of appointing personnel to various court position in the Crown's name. Vacant.
• Minister of Imperial Decrees: The head official in charge of issuing the Crown's decrees to the public and to officials. Court scribes and royal historians who record the Crown's daily activities are also under their command. Vacant.
• Minister of Correspondence: Relays petitions from the public and stewards from various provinces, to the Crown. Vacant.
• Representatives of the Mîr: Not yet appointed by the Mîr.
• Eyes of the Crown: Vacant.
• Ears of the Crown: Vacant.

So basically, nearly the whole damn court is empty aside from the Office of Law lmao. It's practically a ghost town up there.

Have fun filling all these positions! ✨