Premier Harding

Ewart Ceranov Harding was a Kymurian lawyer, politician and revolutionary who became a key political figure in the Kymurian Revolution, Great Schism, and subsequent government.

In the chaos following Emperor Tyenn's suicide, Harding was appointed to the Ministry of Highways and Docks, then to the Ministry of Justice, where he built his reputation as the man who restored order to Kymuria after years of lawlessness. He rose to power in a coup following the effective collapse of the Reform-dominated Balfour administration, and prevented a left-revolutionary takeover of the state.

His time in power is remembered fondly by some for it's effectiveness at restoring general order, and dealing adequately with the political and economic wreck left behind by Emperor Tyenn. However it is generally remembered as a dark period in Kymurian history, since he also began a savage campaign against the power of the nobility and the church, which earned him the ire of many sections of society. Following an enormous uprising against him in Floresia, Harding instituted a political terror that killed some 9,000 Kymurians extra-judicially.

By 1031, public unrest over Harding's repression and anger over his increasingly radical policies weakened his regime. He suffered a serious heart attack that same year, thus weakening his hold on power. All of this culminated in a swift coup by the army that year. His successor was Empress Theodora I.

Harding was put under relatively light house arrest following his removal from power, although many royalist officers lobbied for his execution. Although his fall from power had left him physically harrowed and financially desitute (thus leaving him unable to pay doctor's bills), he remedied these problems by publishing a carefully-censored memoir, *My Life & the Interregnum.* The book sold well, and Harding made a few public appearances, with security provided personally by Empress Theodora as part of her amnesty. He was assassinated in 1035KF by unknown persons.

## Early Life & Military Career

Harding was born in 978KF, to a middle-class family in Copa. He attended the King Frederick School and the Seminary of Mott, where he excelled at topographical and theological studies. The young Ewart was a keen student who often participated in extra-curricular activities. However, he was noted for being very dismissive and largely ignorant of politics and political matters. He was kicked out of the Seminary's debating team for never speaking.

After leaving school at the age of 16, Harding entered the Monsra Chamber of Juristic and Royal Law, and graduated three years later with an Honourable and Learned Degree, then moved back to Saffira to undertake an apprenticeship. A year later, he officially became Dr. Ewart Harding and was admitted to the Saffiric Bar.

However, rather than immediately going into practice, Harding enlisted into the new Metropolitan Military Academy in downtown Saffira, a move which greatly confused his family and friends. He later revealed that while he enjoyed legal practice, his real passion was Topography, which he could study at the MMA and hopefully go on to put to use as a field officer.

In 999KF he was commissioned into the 34th Battery as a Captain of Artillery, but only three months into his service, a canister of sparkpowder exploded near him, sending a lump of metal crashing into his head which caused a debilitating concussion and damage to his left eye. He now required a monocle to see properly and would frequently have brutal headaches for the rest of his life, thus disqualifying him from active service.

According to his memoirs, Harding became interested in politics and political theory whilst recovering from his wound, stumbling across the liberal theory of Georg Miztroff by chance in the hospital library. He began to read and study the subject avidly, quickly deciding that this was to be his path in life. He also completely renounced any religious affiliation.

## Political Career & Rise to Power

At the age of 22, Harding was discharged from the hospital and the army. He immediately took permanent employment as legal representative of the Young Kymurian Liberal Party, which took the principles of Gerog Mitzroff to heart.

In 1006KF he married Dolores Lyttleton and some time after she gave birth to their daughter Constance and their son August. His party, the YKLP had merged with the gigantic Liberty Union, which fought for an end to the autocratic order established during the reign of Viktor II. In 1015KF, Emperor Tyenn began a tyrannical series of purges, decrees and crackdowns that alienated a great deal of support for the monarchy, and morphed many liberals such as Harding into revolutionaries seeking far more radical change. Harding now openly advocated for the overthrow of not just Tyenn, but the monarchy as an institution. The Constabulary arrested him once, but shortly released him, since their loyalty to Tyenn was plummeting, in accordance with the rest of the Empire.

For the next few years, he toured the country, giving speeches alongside other members of the party to drum up support, and became empire-famous when he visited the site of the Tollenser Mining Disaster, proclaiming the mad projects of Emperor Tyenn I "a blight upon this country."

The suicide of Tyenn and the subsequent Kymurian Civil War took place in the early summer of 1019. Utterly sick of Kymurian rule, a junta of separatist officers took control of Dannenholm, and within three days, both the Zeor regions and the Northwestern provinces had declared themselves functionally independent.

In Saffira, no clear leader had emerged following the emperor's death, paralysing the Kymurian ability to respond. Tyenn's legal successor, Grand Prince Ludwig, was placed under protective house-arrest by troops of the 12th Copa Regiment. The regiment's highest ranking officer, General Edgar Hoffmeyer, occupied the royal city and declared himself 'emergency interim governor.' Facing widespread popular unrest on top of the crisis in the northern regions, Hoffmeyer called together a government of 'capable men of all affiliations.' Harding was one of the thirty-five men in this body, and was initially appointed to the Ministry of Highways and Docks. In his memoirs, he wrote that, "The sudden and unexpected appointment to the Highways Ministry provided me with a rough but utterly vital education in practical governance. Within a few weeks I had learned how to control junior ministers and under-secretaries with great finesse. Unlike the other ministers, I could quickly produce results and progress on-the-ground."

Hoffmeyer concerned himself mainly with the growing northern insurgency, which was rapidly overwhelming Kymurian military forces in the region. Locally-sourced units began to shoot their officers and desert en-masse, while morale among those that remained was abysmal. Hoffmeyer's two-month tenure as dictator of Kymuria was ended abruptly when, on the same day that the Kingdom of Kym-Zeor under was officially declared, 7,000 Kymurian relief troops were wiped out by Zeori militias at the Battle of Lowe Hill. This disaster destroyed any credibility Hoffmeyer had left, and he was ousted in an internal coup by the moderate-liberal Reformist League as he was drafting his resignation statement.

The Reformist League was an organisation which commanded great respect among the populace and, more importantly, certain sections of the military hierarchy. Upon taking power their leader, Thomas Balfour, freed the regent and announced a general plan of reforms to be carried out with the Grand Prince's assent. Most controversial of these was the "Autonomy Bill," which would offer the insurgent northern states recognition and freedom on the condition that they recognised the *de jure* sovereignty of the Kymurian monarch, a plan called the "Tripartite Monarchy." This greatly angered many Kymurian nationalists and imperialists in all social classes, who expected that the new government would immediately begin working towards the re-annexation of the North. The plan fell through, since the North west remained in chaos and the ethnically Kymurian leaders of Kym-Zeor were overthrown and brutally murdered before they could accept the proposal.

Due to his abilities and reputation as a liberal-aligned figure, Harding was given the Ministry of Justice, a position he relished. An unprecedented amount of civil unrest was breaking out all over the fractured empire, leading Harding to rely increasingly on the brute force powers of the police and army. He also became adept at using secret police forces to provoke, then break up riots one-by-one.

In the meantime, Grand Prince Ludwig had gone a long way towards restoring the general condition of the army, making a great show of leading troops personally in training exercises and battle drills. He embarked on an expedition north the following month to re-take Dannenholm and to assist the pro-Kymurian forces in the Northwest Civil War, but the Prince and his men were disastrously repulsed and destroyed near Prosova, just south of Dannenholm. The death of the Regent and the annihilation of the last formidable Kymurian army caused the regions of Indostria, Brabont, and Roldorf to declare themselves self-governing; generally because no meaningful authority from Saffira was forthcoming, and all three feared the rise of anarchy and chaos.

When news of this defeat reached Saffira, legions of both revolutionaries and reactionaries began to rise up and attack each other, both fighting for control of the new state. With "Emergency Interim Governor" Balfour unable to bring together any form of practical government, and with no remaining security beyond increasingly hostile Guards Regiments and Harding's over-strained police force remaining, the All-Kymurian Labour Union marched for the Royal City, intent on staging a revolutionary workers takeover. Realising the danger, Harding conspired with his friend and ally General Algrove, and with the help of the palace guard, overthrew Balfour. Harding declared himself "Premier of the Government," and by appearing in person at each of the major barracks, was able to rally the Saffira troop garrisons to defeat the leftist insurgency. However, elites in the Mollburg region, fearing a revolutionary victory, declared their provinces self-governing, as did the Holy City of Monsra.

## Premiership

Harding now effectively ruled Kymuria as a dictator. He was able to put Kymuria proper back into a state of civil order by the start of 1020KF, and began discussions with his cabinet over reforms, but the situation in the northern sections of the continent took up all of his attention. Harding was aware that granting independence to the states that requested it would be a colossal blow to his popularity, but saw no other option, since the military had lost control of the various insurgencies, and having seen two government fall because of military failure, he did not wish to risk his own in the same way.

Harding had just as much, if not more, to fear from reactionary elements as he did from revolutionaries. His reputation as a liberal, republican firebrand had not escaped him, and many aristocrats viewed his government as opportunistic and illegitimate. To soothe these tensions, he publicly declared that he "acknowledged the integral role of the House of Elegaria-An-Bagranthar in the Kymurian nation," and had the heir-apparent, Archduchess Theodora, moved into the main palace of the royal city and ceremonially declared regent, whereas he himself moved to the much more practical Ministries Bureau.

With resources drained and stability bearing up in the new states, Harding bit the bullet and invited all leaders of the nascent countries to Saffira for a two-week conference in which sovereignty agreements would be discussed and diplomatic recognition gained. While this earned him the eternal hatred of many figures, most by now were simply too exhausted to resist. The chaos of the Tyenn years and the fact that Harding seemed to be the only person capable of restoring law and order led many aristocrats and old elites to let their guard down and relax, especially when the states of Mollburg and Brabont agreed to accept the nominal authority of Kymuria in foreign matters.

## Resistance & Tyranny

In 1023KF, Harding's government faced a brutal urban insurgency from the Black Talons, a group that normally operated in the countryside. Over the course of three months, they launched a guerilla war throughout Saffira in which over 4,000 people were killed. The group also assassinated two sitting government ministers and torched the house of the Minister of Government Security. In response, Harding declared a general state of emergency, and rounded up some 17,000 suspected enemies of the state. He personally assumed both the interior, security and foreign ministries, often working for up to 18 hours a day. Around this time, the government treasury effectively ran out, with records not bearing up to the actual amount of gold and coinage available. It appeared that the dispersed royal court had taken liberally from the vaults, and indeed, the flourishing of aristocrat-owned estates and businesses around this time convinced Harding that money which belonged to the state had been funnelled out to the nobility during the chaos of 1019-1020KF. In response, Harding levied a unilateral tax on nobility, and created a rural police force, the Mounted Legion, to enforce it.

It was discovered the following year that a cabal of staunchly royalist and reactionary Angelican bishops had turned over significant church funds to the Black Talons. This was illegal under both civil and ecclesiastical law; but the issue spiralled into a major crisis when the High Abbot, Sullos IX, refused to prosecute the guilty members. Harding revived his old anti-clerical passions and enacted the Worship & Ecclesiastical Decree, which deprived the church of its long-held tax privileges. He also began encouraging anti-clerical and revolutionary presses to increase the temper of their attacks on the church. In response, Sullos IX published the decree "*Laruzuz Saffirog"* (Demons of Saffira) in which he denounced the Harding government and declared that Monsra no longer recognised nominal Kymurian sovereignty. This was essentially a declaration of war in all but name, although it did not immediately result in a mass uprising of Angelicans as the High Abbot had hoped. Harding was unwilling to provoke a direct conflict by attacking Monsra, and since things seemed to be holding together, simply continued as usual. The new taxes on noble estates and the church considerably replenished the Kymurian treasury in the meantime.

## Floresian Uprising of 1025KF

Aside from the free city of Monsra itself, Harding's proscriptions were most poorly received in the universally monarchist and staunchly Angelican region of Floresia. Although Harding had predicted resistance from the Floresians for some time, no civil disobedience or conspiratorial behaviour occurred. Apparently, Floresian nobles, priests and community leaders had decided that the best way to preserve their traditions was simply to 'keep their heads down' and avoid provoking a response from Saffira. This had led Harding to underestimate the will of the Florites to act against him. The edicts on church taxes had upset many, but when in 1025KF, Harding decreed that all church-run schools were to surrender their holdings and curriculums to the state, serious anti-government feeling began to manifest. Common Floresians desired a functionally independent state, like those granted to the northern territories.

In the Month of Rains, (Prugodasia in Floresia), two tax collectors were murdered in the town of Rafalla, apparently at the urging of a local priest. This spurred on the people of Floresia to act, and within 24 hours, the province was in full rebellion. Local troops defected to the rebels at the urging of regimental chaplains, and in general, the rising was seen as a 'crusade' against the godless revolutionism of Harding. Soldiers handed out rifles and arms to the people, who marched under banners marked with Angelican symbols. From Villaflores, Duke Belarmino Flores assumed leadership of the 70,000 strong 'mob' and divided it into three 23,000 man columns: The Army of Sullos IX, The Army of St. Cyroth Kym, and the Army of the Southern Devout.

Before Harding could even begin assembling a military response, he received news that many officers from Kymurian units had defected to the rebels, although few rankers had gone with them, and much of the high command declared its loyalty to the Kymurian state over their religious affiliations.

Ultimately, after eight months of field warfare and some 200,000 deaths, the Floresian resistance was snuffed out. The region was then placed under direct military governorship. Unusually, rather than conventional pitched battles, this was one of the first large-scale examples of wide-front trench warfare in Panguilla, although similar phenomena had occurred in the Luker Conflicts of Anjuin not long before.

## Personal Health Crisis

By 1027KF, Harding's physical condition was poor. The effects of his soldiering injury, which would leave him incapacitated from anywhere between a few hours and few days. Coupled with his, this 'incessant' cigarette smoking brought on a serious decay of the lung, whilst his 18-hour-day workload gave him dangerously high blood pressure.

On top of all this, Harding had taken to making limited public appearances in the styles of Kymurian monarchs. He would inspect military and police details, meet local councillors and deliver short speeches to crowds. All of this was, for security reasons, conducted within reasonable distance of Saffira.

In the summer of 1027KF, which was 'unbearably' hot, Harding made a tour to Krahull, his longest yet, where he fainted at a dinner held by the Lord Mayor. He was revived soon after, but a group of physicians urged him to take official sick leave, warning him that he was not at all well. Harding went on with the tour, and during an inspection of a Marine Regiment two days later, suffered a severe stroke. His police made every effort to cover this up, and despite being semi-paralysed and unable to speak, Harding continued to take appointments and dictate orders. His train carried him back to Saffira the next week.

Harding eventually did accept a partially-reduced workload, and managed to regain his physical abilities.

In 1029KF, he survived a severe heart attack, but was now practically an invalid. He made no further public appearances, and increasingly relied on his police aide-de-camps to manage the day-to-day ruling of the state. At times, he was too weak to even pick up a pen.

Throughout 1030KF, Harding's infirmity became widely-known, despite attempts at censorship. Although the Premier's health once again improved, both revolutionary and reactionary elements now conspired against him with renewed fury. Harding had been a

## Fall from Power

In 1031KF, a meticulously planned coup d'etat by the higher ranks of the military and nobility was able to rapidly secure the country, which had largely lost faith in Harding. As the last few Saffira garrisons laid down their arms or joined the rebels, Harding was able to escape the city in a train requisitioned from the Zeor Embassy. He and his entourage then made their way to Crennisford, but were captured and arrested. Harding was held in the Saffira Bastion for three months, as various elements advocated his trial, release or even execution.

The new Empress, Theodora I, quickly forgot about Harding and set about re-establishing the Imperial system that he had dismantled. She soon re-opened the Noble Council and the Common Parliament (albeit with vastly reduced powers), then set about rapidly industrialising the country and fostering an economic boom. The Empress ordered that Harding and his family be sent back to their estate outside Saffira and placed under a close guard. Harding was fatigued, and had suffered another stroke just after his removal from power. He became completely reclusive and refused to leave his house for any reason.

In 1034KF, Harding's health recovered well, and he began to make some limited public appearances. In a move to promote her policy of general amnesty, Theodora gave him a small state pension and added him to the official list of political guests, though he never attended these events due to his persona non grata status among the restored nobility. He was most disappointed by the fact that not one Liberal club or association invited him to speak or visit them after his deposition.

## Later Life & Death

At the age of 65, and completely broke, Harding once again attempted to renew his legal career, but no clients were forthcoming. He coped very badly with his "retired" life, and grew extremely agitated by his inability to pursue anything meaningful. He did begin to attend state events again and apparently was able to secure a private audience with the Empress, although relations between the two remained cold, and the Prince Consort, Maximilian, refused to even stay within the city limits if Harding visited there.

In early 1035KF, Harding had taken a brief holiday in Brabont before returning as a guest of honour to the State Opening of the Council and Chambers that year, where he was noted to be "cold and withdrawn." Three days later, Harding left with his small entourage in two four-seat state carriages to return to his manor after a dinner at the Dwight Palace. Harding travelled in the front passenger seat, facing the rear of the carriage alongside his surprising new friend; Damion Butler, a secretary for the Jubilee Alliance Party, which Harding detested. Sir Reginald Eckelstaff, a friend of Harding's, travelled in the other carriage with two bodyguards.

By 9:00pm, the streets were crowded with people leaving a local festival event. Harding's carriage stopped at a warden's post on the crossroads that intersected Carron Boulevard and South Fairfax Avenue, just 50 yards from the entrance to the Imperial City. A fast, two-wheeled taxi-style carriage pulled by two stallions and driven by a coachman in a black cloak pulled up alongside Harding's vehicle. The passenger of the carriage, a Hokasan male dressed in a blue suit and bow tie, pulled down his window, drew a 9 mm blue-steel three-shot sparkpistol revolver and fired at the carriage; two bullets hit Harding, while the other lodged in Butler's shoulder. His entourage rushed him to the General Central Infirmary, where doctors performed an emergency thoracotomy, but he was pronounced dead at 1:15 a.m.

The assassin's carriage thundered off into the crowds, never to be found despite extensive investigations by the RKC. It has been suspected that Empress Theodora may have been involved in the incident, however the main flaw in this theory is that Secretary Butler, a close ally and friend of Theodora's, was injured in the shooting and very nearly could have been killed.