Royal Vote
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The tragic death of Queen Eliresse Andelieu de la Courcel on May the 9th, 1180 dealt a crippling blow to Terre d'Ange. Her passing signaled the end of the Courcel bloodline, for she left no heirs or other familial relations to succeed her. Under the guidance of crown Regent Nicolas de Beauchamp nó Leblanc (commonly known as Nicolas the Grey), the nation prepared to observe the Royal Vote for the first time in the forty one years since its conception during the rule of King François de la Courcel.
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The Legislation
It is by royal decree that should the Crown lack an Heir and the Crown is contested, that there be a Vote on who is the proper Heir to the throne. In the unlikely event that House Courcel has no direct lineage, the remaining Ducal Houses of the realm with a relation to House Courcel shall be voted upon by the Peers of the Crown to determine which of them shall be the true and proper Heir.
The Crown Regent shall take the place of the Crown in a caretaker's role acting as interim Crown until a suitable heir and new Royal Family is found. The Regent is also charged with tallying and receiving the votes and declaring the new heir after all votes have been tallied.
The following lines, lineages, and positions each receive one Royal Vote. If the position is unfilled at the time the votes are to be tallied and no vote has been sent, the vote is forfeit.
- The 6 Ducal Houses of the realm receive one vote each: Namarre, Azzalle, Siovale, Camlach, Eisande, Kusheth.
- The Prefect of the Cassiline Order holds one Vote.
- The Dowayne of Cereus House holds one Vote.
- The Alban and Eiran Diplomat receives one Vote.
Signed, King François de la Courcel
24th of April, 1139
The Last Courcel Queen
Queen Eliresse Andelieu de la Courcel is noted in the annals of d'Angeline history as the final member of the esteemed Courcel house, whose bloodline is traced back to Elua himself.
The final few years of her reign were tumultuous. The d'Angeline senate was dissolved by Queen Eliresse following the passing of several articles of legislature without her knowledge or consent. The grave decision enraged the displaced senators and rattled her esteem among the commoners, who had upheld the ability to elect their own politicians and representatives.
It was the support of the d'Angeline peerage that suffered a final blow, when Eliresse broke from tradition and planned for an heir with a common lover, in place of a marriage with Alba's Cruarch. The shocking decision is correlated with the crumbling of her popularity, for the Alban alliance is one the nobility commonly associated with the continuing success of Terre d'Ange.
Her death came as a shock, for she and the heir passed during childbirth on May 9th, 1180. Many d'Angelines blamed her lover, Mathieu Ghyselin, for the death. Her passing marked the end of the bloodline, and left the throne vacant. Many d'Angelines are suspicious about the nature of the Queen's passing and her lover's disappearance - many loyalists to House Courcel suggest regicide.
The Long Winter
A blistering winter descended upon Terre d'Ange in the years following the death of the Queen, which the Skaldi came to refer to as the Fimbulwinter, or the storm before the end of the world. The harsh and unyielding cold was such as had never before been seen. Its impact extended beyond Terre d'Ange, bringing snow to lands that had never, in recorded history, received any. Road blockages meant that many were trapped in the city of Elua, including foreign dignitaries and ambassadors who had been awaiting the birth of Terre d'Ange's next dauphine.
During the year 1182, Nicolas the Grey amended the legislature surrounding the Royal Vote. By the proclamation of King François, decades earlier, the houses with blood ties to Courcel would be the ones eligible for the throne. The Ducs and Duchesses of Siovale, Azzalle and Eisande were therefore prospects for the vote. However, by Nicolas the Grey's amendment, the legislation changed significantly. No longer was a blood tie to House Courcel necessary - from that point forward, any Duc or Duchess of one of the provinces of Terre d'Ange might succeed the throne.
Amendment to the Legislation
Hereby it is decreed, this day the 25th of November, 1182 that the Royal Vote as written 43 years ago by King François of Terre d'Ange be modified. By the power given to me as Crown Regent I hereby declare that the Royal Vote shall be held for -all- 6 available Dukes or Duchesses of Terre d'Ange who feel they are adequate enough and hold the right qualities to lead our nation. In times of hardship we must look beyond mere Courcel blood and search for those who can also lead us to success. All 6 Provicial rulers will also have a vote. In the event of a tie, the reigning Crown Regent acquires the deciding vote.
Signed, Sir Nicolas de Beauchamp no Leblanc
5th of November, 1182
The Game of Thrones
Candidates emerged from the woodwork as each of the figureheads of the provinces began the game of thrones. Early on, the most clear contenders emerged. They were the Duchess Talaith de Trevalion of Azzalle and the Duc Marius d'Aiglemort of Camlach. Rumors abounded the city of Elua, speculating about which of the two would claim more support from those who held a vote.
Scandal rocked the city when the Duc of Siovale was reported slain, in incredibly auspicious circumstances. A scion of House Shahrizai claimed the empty seat, sparking assertions that the late Duc had been murdered. The man, noted as bearing the name Mufti Shahrizai, had until then been a major supporter of the Duchess Talaith; now he stood precariously positioned to succeed the throne himself.
It is said that a shift in the course of the Royal Vote occurred when the Duc of Kusheth, Bastien de Morhban suddenly emerged in prominence among the candidates. He had been marked as a member of the alliance supporting House Trevalion's bid for the throne. In fact, rumors of a potential engagement between the two Ducal leaders was said to be the cementing factor in his support, and many expected such to be announced in the months leading up to the vote. The announcement of the Duc's marriage came, but it was not to Talaith. Instead, the Kusheline contingent in the city received the news that he planned to make Valerian's acting Dowayne his bride, and their Duchess.
Whether or not the proclaimation was one that swayed the tide of support among the candidates is a matter of debate among d'Angeline historians and politicians. Ultimately, however, it seemed that those who held a vote saw the benefit in the prospect of a Kusheline king. The nation was in dire straits, the winter showed no sign of abating, and prosperity had been on a stark decline since Eliresse's death.
The approach of the Longest Night signaled the arrival of the Royal Vote. Each of the candidates qualified to vote were to indicate their final selection to Nicolas the Grey that very evening. By then, the support of the voters was clearly divided between Bastien de Morhban and Marius d'Aiglemort and it was rumored that the Duc Mufti Shahrizai, representing Siovale, had capitulated to the former in order to prevent the latter's victory. The other candidates were expected to have struck bargains and alliances with either of the two, though the precise details remain generally unknown by the public.
The Kusheline Crown
It was early in the year 1185 when Nicolas the Grey summoned the peerage present in the city of Elua to announce the result of the votes. A mere week before, the Regent had presided over the marriage of Bastien de Morhban and his bride, Athenais de Morhban. It was then that the first clear sign of winter's abating surfaced, when a warm spring air breezed through the city after the consecration of their marriage. It was with hope, as a result, that the nobility gathered to greet their new King or Queen.
To much uncertainty, and even greater anticipation, it was announced that the split in the voting favored Bastien de Morhban. Thusly, he and his new bride were coronated before the eyes of the court by Nicolas himself. This heralded a shift in long standing d'Angeline tradition, and the forging of a new crown. The Ducs and Duchesses present offered their fealty to the couple, and therein did the Royal Vote come to its official conclusion.
Dawn of Spring
The next weeks brought spring back to Terre d'Ange, signaling a new beginning for the esteemed nation. Passage in and out of the city of Elua was once again possible, and news traveled fast to the outlying nations of the new leadership of the country.
Work began immediately, under the guidance of the new King, to restore the provinces of Terre d'Ange to their former glory. The long winter had a harsh toll on the land, and a great number of public works began to see it undone. His first prominent piece of legislation was decreed in the first month of his reign. By his command, the duchies of Terre d'Ange could only be ruled by a scion of the companion of each of the respective provinces. As a result, Siovale was liberated and leadership restored to a rightful claimant to the seat - Adelaide de Royan.
The year that followed was one of change and restoration, renewing the glory of and security of Terre d'Ange. Nicolas the Grey stepped down from his post as Regent, though his successor has yet to be appointed, and rumors still abound as to the nature of the last Courcel Queen's death.
