Freeholds of Pem

The Freeholds were originally established with the formal declaration of alliance between the cities of Pembleton, Ruby City, Coltar and Woleseat in 970 BGE, in which Fabius I, mayor of Ruby City, was elected to the position of King of the Centrelanders and 'Bellidux', or war leader. The alliance saw the establishment of the title of Freehold, which conferred a formal, mutual acknowledgement of the boundaries of each city and its constituent territory.
The Freeholds have been revised multiple times in the subsequent millennium, due to domestic and geo-political events and social changes. Waysouth and Prydow have been incorporated as a Freehold and Sawdus Freehold was formed out of the western Pembleton Freehold during the Pemblish Civil War.
== Definition ==
A Freehold was originally a legal definition of a territory formally outlined and mutually accepted by the constituent principalities of the Lesser Kingdom of Pem. They formed the basis for the Freeholds of the Greater Kingdom of Pem, where they were administrative regions under various nobles. These Freeholds were carried forward into the Commonwealth of Pem and act as administrative divisions within the Commonwealth.
== The Rubellium and Lightwater issue ==
Rubellium Freehold seceded from Pem following the creation of the Commonwealth of Pem at the end of the Pebmlish Civil War, ending its status as a Freehold of Pem. Whilst Freehold status cannot be conferred on non-constituent nations of Pem since the formation of the Greater Kingdom, it has been heavily debated by legal scholars whether Freehold status can or should be removed from the city-state, even though it has seceded from the Pemblish nation. In particular, it has been argued that failing to honour the status of a Freehold is, under Lesser Kingdom Pemblish laws, akin to dismissing all territorial rights of the Freehold, which is contrary to the Pemblish Government's position who legally respect the independence of Rubellium and its territories (with the notable exception of the settlement of Lightwater).
Although Rubellium does not officially refer to itself as a Freehold, they nevertheless embrace the historical status and The Mayors of Rubellium continue to display their original Freehold charter in their official public office. The Pemblish government has largely avoided the direct issue of Freehold status, as revocation of Rubellium's Freehold status would cause geo-political friction between the two friendly nations. Despite this, both nations dispute the status of the settlement of Lightwater, with Pem arguing for it to be a new Pemblish Freehold for economic and cultural reasons, whilst Rubellium asserts that it is part of its traditional and rightful territory.
== List of Freeholds of Pem (Current and Former) ==
'Royal' Freehold of Pembleton 
Freehold of Ridgeley 
Freehold of Woleseat
Freehold of Coltar
Freehold of Sawdus
Freehold of Waysouth
(Formerly) Freehold of Rubellium
Freehold of the South
Category:Freeholds
Category:Pemblish Politics