Thyrosic Empire

The Thyrosic Empire was an empire located in western Atheryin, characterised by a highly autocratic system of absolute monarchy and territorial domination over the Thyrosic peninsula. At its greatest extent, the empire controlled the entire peninsula as well as the territories of Aios, Julyr, Donos, and vast swathes of Coronia, making it one of the largest states in the history of the known world.
The imperial period of Thyros lasted approximately 800 years, and afforded the Thyrids a level of influence on global affairs that they had not previously enjoyed. The first three centuries of imperial rule were marked by unceasing expansion throughout the peninsula and into surrounding regions of Atheryin as well as unprecedented peace and cultural and economic growth in the imperial heartlands. The Empire reached its zenith in Autumn 112 before entering into a period of prolonged stagnation and gradual decline. Thyros suffered greatly during the Lavender Schism within the Imperial Church and was dealt a double-blow by the Nettle Years, a period of prolonged plague, pestilence, and disaster which started with the near-destruction of Thyrra in the Great Earthquake of Brave 30. The Empire suffered continuous territorial loss during this period, and by the middle of the Brave Era, its borders were roughly analogous with the province of Thyros. The Empire continued to exist as a rump-state for some time, however it was finally toppled in the year 16 of the Red Era following the Sack of Thyrra by Kutai raiders based out of the former imperial city of Lýsod.
==Government==
===Emperor (Thyré)===
The leader of the Thyrosic Empire was the Emperor, referred to in the native Thyridic language as the Thyré, which broadly means divine ruler when translated into Atherin. The Emperor was traditionally an absolute monarch, wielding unchecked and autocratic power throughout all aspects of imperial life. This high level of authority made the Emperor of Thyros one of the most powerful leaders on the continent, however it also meant that the success or failure of the empire rested almost exclusively with the competency of its supreme leader. 
The power of the Emperor stemmed from an amalgamation of secular and religious offices into the role. Broadly speaking the title of Emperor conferred upon the holder the kingship of the various kingdoms and grand duchies that had been annexed into the Thyrosic Empire, as well as patriarchy within the Imperial Church. This combination of secular and divine authority meant that the Emperor was able to draw on religious legitimacy during times of crisis. 
Emperors during the golden age of the empire also attempted to cultivate an air of imperial majesty, setting themselves above and apart from both the common people and the nobility. This was accomplished through carefully stage-managed presentation of the Emperor to both the people and the elite, although the specific style of this presentation depended on the office holder. Emperors such as Soterios Nabassar relied on a highly-active public persona to set themselves up as someone ordained by Thyrnóc, however later Emperors secluded themselves from the public and lived entirely within the increasingly monumental Imperial Palace in Thyrra. Access to the Emperor was highly restricted to those outside of his inner circle, with even powerful businessmen and nobles having little chance of a one-on-one meeting with him.
Later Emperors were forced to abandon this approach to government as their rule came under increasing pressure from internal and external threats. The office of Emperor during this time transformed into something more approaching first-among-equals rule, with weaker Emperors increasingly reliant on the support of various generals or Chief Ministers to maintain their rule. During the Empire's terminal decline, the dynastic system of succession was virtually abandoned, and the Imperial office took on an almost republican character. 
=== Chief Minister ===
Throughout the imperial period of Thyrosic history, the government of the empire was typically led by the Chief Minister of the Crown Assembly. The Chief Minister functioned as the presiding member and chairman of the Crown Assembly and was responsible for legislating acts of government and administrating the empire in large part. The Chief Minister was appointed by the Emperor depending on who he felt would best suit the position, and their power in practice fluctuated depending on the power of the Emperor. Many Chief Minsters served as little more than advisers and servants to enact the will of His Divine Majesty, however certain Chief Ministers enjoyed a great deal of power and functioned as the de-facto leaders of the Thyrosic Empire. In the event of the extinction of the ruling imperial dynasty or house, the person holding the title of Chief Minister was traditionally best-placed to assume the role of sovereign himself. 
The position evolved over time, initially starting out as the royal treasurer during the House of Nabassar. The position gradually acquired more power, and was fully formed and codified during the reign of Nicomedus Katsaros. Individuals who held the position of royal treasurer, or who (like Katsaros) de-facto held the position of Chief Minister before the codification of the role are typically referred to as Chief Ministers by later historians and scholars.
The role of Chief Minister was not always in use, and came and went as the Crown Assembly was formed and dismissed by the Emperors. Emperors who came into conflict with their Chief Ministers often ruled alone and directly for extended periods of time, liberally wielding the absolute power granted to the sovereign within the framework of the imperial state. Notably, the ministry was out of use for the entire 49 year reign of the Emperor Sebastian V. During other periods the office was "in use but not used", with the Chief Minister as a marginalised figure overshadowed by other political, military, and religious figures. 
As the Empire declined, the Chief Ministers generally acquired more power at the expense of the monarchy. By the middle of the Brave Era, the position had virtually become hereditary, with the Chief Ministers functioning as a ruling dynasty which had essentially supplanted the imperial houses as the true sovereigns of Thyros. The position was abolished during the reforms of Alexander II, however Michael X reestablished it before the ultimate collapse of Thyros. 
=== Crown Assembly ===
During periods of ordinary government within the empire, the Crown Assembly typically functioned as the country's supreme legislative body. In contrast to the Conclave of the Nokana Empire, or other legislative bodies throughout Atheryin, the Crown Assembly had little in the way of actual functional power over the Emperor, and its composition and powers were largely decided based on his whims. Within Thyrosic constitutional norms, the Emperor retained the power to legislate on his own, meaning that the Crown Assembly existed primarily to pick up the slack and assist the Emperor with the task of governing the country, rather than being a separate pillar of government.
Members of the Crown Assembly were appointed and fired by the Emperor at will. There was no fixed size for the Crown Assembly (At its smallest, the assembly had 13 members, and at its largest, it had 791) and no fixed terms of service. A parliamentarian, once appointed, would be a member of the Crown Assembly until they did something causing the Emperor to remove them. Members of the Crown Assembly were typically noblemen, businessmen, and other people of note from throughout the empire, although the vast majority were individuals based in and around the imperial court. 
The functions of the Crown Assembly also depended vastly on the personality and particular ruling style of the sovereign. Many Thyrosic Emperors viewed the Crown Assembly as a codified advisory council, and kept the membership low in order to stay in close consultation with its members, however during the Thyrosic Golden Age, the Crown Assembly ballooned in size and for several centuries functioned as a de-facto parliament with rudimentary political parties and representation for every region of the empire (Some scholars point to this as an early example of thyridic democracy because during this period members of the Crown Assembly were directly elected, however the franchise was, at its greatest extent, restricted to 100,000 people)
The Chief Minister and the other ministers of government within Thyros were typically appointed to the Crown Assembly following their selection, if they had not previously been members, and one of the primary responsibilities of the Chief Minister was organising and running sessions of the Crown Assembly. 
The Crown Assembly, over time, came to be seen as a source of legitimacy despite the fact that its power was derived solely from the Emperor's. Although the body had no official power of its own, it was often the Crown Assembly which appointed Emperors following the extinction of the ruling house or dynasty. This is because the Crown Assembly was directly appointed by the previous Emperor, and as such it was considered to be an extension of his will by many Thyrids, meaning that whoever they selected to become the Emperor had the implicit endorsement of the previous (dead) Emperor. 
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