Empire of Starkland

The Empire of Starkland, also called the Starkchen Empire, and known locally as Starkstaat or Starkreich, is a large nation occupying central Soligaia, bordering Nášvlast to the north, High Elven Ruljotris to the northwest, the Spiaggia Region of Spiaggia & Litore, Catholica Region of Sanct'cora, Solaria and Ostrogoth to the west, Schwyz to the southwest, Gallia to the south, Gëllenbourge and Zachtland to the southeast, Ægtjord to the east, and the State of the Teutonic Order and Voitaria to the northeast.
Starkland is one of the five Great Powers of Soligaia, along with Solaria, Gallia, Krajstwo and Merzlota.
== History ==
Before the Revolution of 2467, Starkland was a unitary empire under the autocratic control of the Kaiser. As a result of that revolution, Starkland broke up into hundreds of independent states constantly warring with each other for land and power. It wasn't until at least two hundred years later that the current decentralized political structure was proposed. After at least twenty years of negotiations, compromises, and at least three wars, Starkland's current political structure was fully implemented across the whole of Starkland. Also, while Starkland is decentralized, and the Imperial Estates enjoy a great deal of autonomy, the power of the Kaiser remains absolute.
== Politics & Governance ==
== Territorial Divisions ==
Starkland is divided into many separate constituent jurisdictions, called Imperial Estates, which have Imperial Immediacy, meaning that the only authority above them is the Kaiser. There are several types of jurisdictions: territories ruled by a hereditary nobleman; territories in which secular authority was held by a clerical dignitary; Free imperial cities and Imperial villages, city-states and villages which are subject only to the jurisdiction of the Kaiser and have a vote in the Reichstag.
There are also several states styled as a Republik [Republic], governed by elected official. Leaders of republics are titled either a Präsident [President], a Statthalter [Governor], a Vorsitzende [Chairman/Chairwoman], or a Machthaber [Dictator]. Statthalter and Vorsitzende are also often used for elected/appointed leaders of subdivisions of a republic. However, sometimes a republic can wind up under the rule of a hereditary dicatorship if such a person is manipulative enough to keep the power in his/her family.
Several territories are also clerical, in which the ruler, termed a Prinz der Kirche [Prince of the Church], is also designated a religious title, ranging from Prince-Archbishops, Prince-Bishops, Prince-Abbots and Prince-Provosts of the Empire. Several territories also also governed by religious leaders appointed from the church instead of hereditary noblemen.
There also dozens Freie kaiserliche Städte [Free Imperial Cities] and a few hundred Freie kaiserliche Dörfer [Free Imperial Villages] subject only to the Kaiser.
There are also a number of estates ruled by military orders from its branch headquarters in the imperial capital.
There also also small estates ruled by a landed knight.
== Nobility ==
Title 	Territory 	Notes
Kaiser(in)Emperor/Empress 	ReichEmpire 	The overall ruler of the entire empire
König(in)King/Queen 	KönigtumKingdom 	
Erzherzog(in)Archduke/Archduchess 	ErzherzogtumArchduchy 	
Großherzog(in)Grand Duke/Grand Duchess 	GroßherzogtumGand Duchy 	
Großfürst(in)Grand Prince(ss) 	GroßfürstentumGrand Principality 	
Herzog(in)Duke/Duchess 	HerzogtumDuchy 	
Markgraf/MarkgräfinMargrave/Margrvine 	MarkgrafschaftMargraviate, March 	These are mostly border regions, with a few exceptions.
Reichsfürst(in)Prince(ss) of the Empire 	FürstentumPrincipality 	
Reichsgraf/ReichsgräfinCount(ess) of the Empire 	GrafschaftCounty 	
Reichsfreiherr/Reichsfreifrau/ReichsfreiinBaron(ess) of the Empire 	FreiherrschaftBarony 	The suffix Freiin indicates a baroness by birth
Herr/FrauLord/Lady 	HerrschaftLordship 	
ReichsritterImperial Knight 	 	
Non-reigning 	Non-reigning 	Non-reigning
Each title lower than King can also be non-reigning (i.e. for junior members of sovereign families and non-sovereign families) within the larger Imperial Estates.
Additionally, heir's to titles Archduke and lower are prefixed with Erb-. The prefix distinguishes the heir from similarly-titled junior siblings and cadets.
Non-reigning titles from highest to lowest, include:	Each title lower than King can also be non-reigning (i.e. for junior members of sovereign families and non-sovereign families) within the larger Imperial Estates.
Additionally, heir's to titles Archduke and lower are prefixed with Erb-. The prefix distinguishes the heir from similarly-titled junior siblings and cadets.
Non-reigning titles from highest to lowest, include:	Each title lower than King can also be non-reigning (i.e. for junior members of sovereign families and non-sovereign families) within the larger Imperial Estates.
Additionally, heir's to titles Archduke and lower are prefixed with Erb-. The prefix distinguishes the heir from similarly-titled junior siblings and cadets.
Non-reigning titles from highest to lowest, include:
Title 	Notes 	Notes
Kronprinz(essin)Crown Prince(ss) 	This title is exclusive to heirs to the Kaiser and Kings/Queens. 	This title is exclusive to heirs to the Kaiser and Kings/Queens.
Kurprinz(essin)Electoral Prince(ss) 	This title is exclusive to heirs to Prince-Electors. 	This title is exclusive to heirs to Prince-Electors.
Erzherzog(in)Archduke/Archduchess 	 	
Großherzog(in)Grand Duke/Grand Duchess 	 	
Großfürst(in)Grand Prince(ss) 	 	
Herzog(in)Duke/Duchess 	 	
Prinz(essin)Prince(ss) (royal) 	This title is for sons/daughters of the Kaiser and Kings/Queens who are not the heir. 	This title is for sons/daughters of the Kaiser and Kings/Queens who are not the heir.
Fürst(in)Prince(ss) (noble) 	This title is used for sons/daughters of ruling Archdukes down to ruling dukes who are not the heir.	This title is used for sons/daughters of ruling Archdukes down to ruling dukes who are not the heir.
Markgraf/MarkgräfinMargrave/Margravine 	 	
Reichsgraf/ReichsgräfinImperial Count(ess) 	 	
Reichsfreiherr/Reichsfreifrau/ReichsfreiinImperial Baron(ess) 	The suffix Freiin indicates a baroness by birth 	The suffix Freiin indicates a baroness by birth
Graf/GräfinCount(ess) 	 	
Freiherr/Freifrau/FreiinBaron(ess) 	Freiin indicates a baroness by birth 	Freiin indicates a baroness by birth
Herr; Edler Herr, Frau; Edler FrauLord; Noble Lord, Lady; Noble Lady	 	
RitterKnight 	 	
Edler/EdleNoble 	 	
JunkerYoung Lord 	Grouped with untitled nobles 	Grouped with untitled nobles
All the territories of the empire (regardless of their varying styles) combined put the number of Imperial Estates subject to the Kaiser at more than five hundred. This number often fluctuates for various reasons, including one territory's absorption by another, or a new separate territory is formed out of a larger one for one reason or another (i.e. separatism by war or reorganization by imperial decree). However, there are no more than three recognized kingdoms and four recognized republics.
While each ruler pledges perpetuate fealty to the Kaiser, and have the right to be represented in the Reichstag, the rulers of the constituent territories enjoy a great deal of autonomy, bordering on de facto independence. To maintain some sort of unity, each state sends a delegation to the Reichstag to represent them in the government. However, there are also scattered estates of the varying levels, immediate to the Emperor but unrepresented in the Reichstag.
The Starkisch constitution groups handfuls of these territories into twenty-five regions referred to as Kurfürstentum [Electorate]. The most senior ruler of these regions is designated a Kurfürst(in) [Prince-Elector/Princess-Electress] along with their current title. The Electors are part of the Electoral College, and their job is to choose the new Kaiser out of one of several candidates when the current Kaiser dies or abdicates. For this reason, while the the position of Kaiser is nominally elective, it is often hereditary in practice as it is most common for member of the deceased Kaiser's family to be elected. This often because members of the Kaiser's dynasty also rule a number of lower ranked territories of the empire. As a result, Starkland is currently under the de facto rule of House Zeitlos of the Herrlichkeit dynasty, which spent dozens of generations over the past couple centuries gathering as much influence and as many titles as possible until is usurped control of Starkland from House Leitend, a distant branch of the same dynasty and another leading house of Starkland, by election. Since this method of succession isn't perfect, disputes over between who is the rightful Kaiser has led to civil wars for the throne on more than one occasion.
There are any dozens of nobles houses of Starkland, but the major ones include:
House 	Race 	Words 	Known Ruled Territores
Eisen 	Human 	Eisen und StahlIron and Steel 	
Eisen 	A cadet branch of House Zeitlos. Part of the wider Herrlichkeit dynasty. Makes its fortune mainly through a blacksmithing enterprise.	A cadet branch of House Zeitlos. Part of the wider Herrlichkeit dynasty. Makes its fortune mainly through a blacksmithing enterprise.	A cadet branch of House Zeitlos. Part of the wider Herrlichkeit dynasty. Makes its fortune mainly through a blacksmithing enterprise.
Leitend 	Human 	Macht und WillePower and Will 	
Leitend 	Former imperial house of Starkland. Part of the wider Herrlichkeit dynasty 	Former imperial house of Starkland. Part of the wider Herrlichkeit dynasty 	Former imperial house of Starkland. Part of the wider Herrlichkeit dynasty
Löwenherz 	Human 	 	
Löwenherz 	 	 	
Münzen 	Centaur 	Eine Chance lohnt sichOne chance is worth taking 	
Münzen 	A centaurian noble house that made its name through commerce. 	A centaurian noble house that made its name through commerce. 	A centaurian noble house that made its name through commerce.
Nachtigall	Human 	Frieden, Ehre, TugendPeace, Honor, Virtue 	
Nachtigall	Roderick von Nachtigall, a septifidelic priest and the founder of Freiheitism, was born to this house before he was disowned. 	Roderick von Nachtigall, a septifidelic priest and the founder of Freiheitism, was born to this house before he was disowned. 	Roderick von Nachtigall, a septifidelic priest and the founder of Freiheitism, was born to this house before he was disowned.
Zeitlos 	Human 	Den Augenblick nutzenSeize the Moment 	
Zeitlos 	The current imperial house. Part of the wider Herrlichkeit dynasty.
First Kaiser elected from House Zeitlos was Jasper Frederick Leopold Hans-Ulrich Dagobert Conrad von Zeitlos; aka Jasper II (ruled 4233–4285PCZ).	The current imperial house. Part of the wider Herrlichkeit dynasty.
First Kaiser elected from House Zeitlos was Jasper Frederick Leopold Hans-Ulrich Dagobert Conrad von Zeitlos; aka Jasper II (ruled 4233–4285PCZ).	The current imperial house. Part of the wider Herrlichkeit dynasty.
First Kaiser elected from House Zeitlos was Jasper Frederick Leopold Hans-Ulrich Dagobert Conrad von Zeitlos; aka Jasper II (ruled 4233–4285PCZ).
== Notes & Trivia ==
* Starkland is based on a combination of the Holy Roman Empire and the German Empire.
Category:Qirsyllviar
Category:Countries
Category:Soligaia
Category:Empires