Sacred Council of the Empire

The **Imperial Council** (Latin: ***Consilium Imperialis***), officially the **Sacred Council of the Empire** (Latin: ***Sacrum Consistorium Imperii***), the is a body of both formal and informal advisers to the Sovereign of the Imperium. Beneath the emperor, a multitude of officials and court functionaries operate the complex administrative machinery that is necessary to run the Imperial and Royal households. In addition to those officials, a large number of honorific titles exist, which the emperor awards to his subjects or to friendly foreign rulers. However, it’s membership mainly comprises of specialized and trusted appointed officials, but the *Officiis Populus* are elected as allowed by the sovereign.

## Ranks of the *Vir*

The for titles ***vir*** (a member of government) is used as a formal indication of standing in the Empire to describe the basic levels of ranks within the Empire.

* Vir Clarissimi
* Vir Spectabiles
* Vir Illustres
* Vir Magnifici
* Vir Gloriosi
The title of ***vir clarissimus*** ("very famous man") goes to the members of government for provincial and stately legislatures, and goes along with the synonymous ranks of MLA, ML, MHA, MPP, MNA, etc, as well as for those of colonial legislatures.

A ***vir spectabilis*** ("admirable man") is a member of the federal of unitary legislature of an autonomous dominion, such as MPs.

The rank of ***Vir Illustres*** ("illustrious man") goes to every Senator of Predaconia, as well as those representing the other polities of the Imperium. Out of these elected officials are also chosen the members of the Offices of the People, who retain this rank.

Every leader of a military branch, as well as members of the Council of War are given the prestige of ***Vir magnificus*** ("magnificent man").

 A ***Vir gloriosus*** ("glorious man") is a member of the Exalted Offices, the top tier of the Imperial council and the Emperor’s most trusted.

## *Officia Sublimi Imperii* and *Domus Imperii*

The**Imperial Household** (Latin: *Domus Imperialis*), officially the **Household of the Empire** (Latin: *Domus Imperii*), is the constitutional body whose primary function is to provide aid and support to the Holy Predaconian Emperor in the exercise of his imperial and royal duties and prerogatives. However, many of these positions are filled *ex officio* by the appointed and hereditary members of the High Offices.

The **High Offices of the Empire** (Latin: *Officia Sublimi Imperii*) are a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign of the Empire. Its membership mainly comprises of appointed and trusted men, as well as those hereditary.

The High Offices formally advise the sovereign on the exercise of the Imperial Prerogative, and as a body corporate (as Emperor-in-Council) it issues executive instruments known as *Constitutiones*, specifically (1) *edicta*, or proclamations, which the emperor, like other magistrates, might issue, (2) *mandata*, or instructions to subordinates, especially provincial governors, (3) *rescripta*, written answers to officials or others who consulted the emperor, in particular on a point of law, and (4) *decreta*, or decisions of the emperor sitting as a judge. The Council also advises the sovereign on the issuing of Imperial Charters (Latin: *Carta Imperii*).

## Officiis Sublimis (The Sublime Offices)

Every member of the Sublime offices are part of the ***Vir gloriosissimi***, the “most glorious men”. They are the first branch of the government.

* Magister Officorum (“Master of the Offices”)
* Praeses (President)

The Magister Officorum, the Master of the Offices, is often known as the Imperial Chancellor (Cancellari Imperatorius) or Lord ChancellorThe Magister Officorum holds Imperium Imperatorius to an extent comparable with the Predaconian emperor or the Praefectus Praetorio. He is somewhat of both an appointed Prime Minister, overpowering the elected one, and a kind of Interior Minister for State Security.

He functions as a watchdog head of administration; The Chancellor is responsible for conducting court ceremonies and regulated audiences with the Emperor. All correspondences with foreign powers are sent by and embassies of foreign powers to the Emperor are received by the Chancellor. The Chancellor commands the Imperial Intelligence Service corps of ("Agentes in rebus"), 'men of state affairs,' who handle communications between the Emperor and provincial governments as well as gathering intelligence as the Emperor's administrative policing force. They are courier/bureaucrats often deputed to other departments on special assignments.

Custody of the Great Seal of the Realm is entrusted to the Chancellor. Documents to which the Great Seal is affixed include letters patent, writs and royal proclamations. The sealing is actually performed under the supervision of the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery (who holds the additional office of Permanent Secretary to the Lord Chancellor).

The Masters of the Offices perform various functions relating to the established Religio Predaco. They appoint clergy in such of the ecclesiastical livings under the patronage of the Crown as are officially listed as being worth less than 20 Denarius *per annum*. Furthermore, they exercise the same prerogative in regard to the less valuable livings in the Duchy of Cornwall when there is no Duke of Cornwall, or when the Duke of Cornwall is a minor. (The heir-apparent to the Crown, if he is the Sovereign's eldest son, is automatically Duke of Cornwall.) Finally, the Chancellor is in some cases the patron of an ecclesiastical living in his own right. In total, the Chancellor appoints clergymen in over four hundred parishes and twelve cathedral canonries.

The **Magister Disceptātiōnis** is the presiding officer of the House of Nobles in the Senate. The office is analogous to the Praeses: the Lord Speaker is elected by the members of the House of Nobles and is expected to be politically impartial.

Until Vespianus 2006, the role of presiding officer in the House of Nobles was undertaken by the Master of the Offices. Under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, the position of the Master of Debate (as it is termed in the Act) became a separate office, allowing the position to be held by someone other than the Chancellor. The Lord Chancellor continued to act as speaker of the House of Nobles in an interim period after the Act was passed while the House of Lords considered new arrangements about its speakership.

The **Praeses** of the House of the People is the chief officer and highest authority of the House of the People, the lower house and a chamber of the Senate of the Imperium.

The Presdient presides over the House's debates, determining which members may speak and which amendments are selected for consideration. The Speaker is also responsible for maintaining order during debate, and may punish members who break the rules of the House. Unlike presiding officers of legislatures in many other countries, Speakers remain strictly non-partisan and renounce all affiliation with their former political parties when taking office and afterwards.

The President does not take part in debate or vote (except to break ties; and even then, the convention is that the Speaker casts the tie-breaking vote according to Speaker Denison's rule which results either in further debate or a vote for the status quo).

### Quaestor Sacri Palatiii (Judge of the Sacred Palace)

The Judge of the Imperial Court ("**Quaestor sacri palatii**") is the Empire's top legal official and is responsible for the administration of the justice throughout the Empire. Selected from those with significant legal training, the Judge serves as the Emperor's chief legal advisor and is responsible for overseeing the enactment of legislation and for drafting imperial decrees. Beginning in early 5th century, he presides over the Empire's supreme tribunal, which hears appeals from the various lower courts of the Empire.

### Praefectus Aerarium (Prefect of the Public Treasury)

The Praefectus Aerarium is a senior official within the Government of the Imperium and head of the Aerarium Stabulum. The Count and Prefect is responsible for all public economic and financial matters.

### Comes Privatae Largitionis (Companion of the Privy Purse)

The **Comes Privatae Largitionis** is responsible for the financial management of the Household of the Sovereign of the Imperium. The Lord High Treasurer functions as the head of His Majesty's Treasury. The chancellor is responsible for all economic and financial matters, equivalent to the role of finance minister in other nations. In recent times has come to be the most powerful office in politics after the Master of Offices.

### Comes Sacrarum Largitionum (Companion of the Sacred Largresses)

A *comes* who is custodian of the *sacrae largitiones* ("Sacred Largesses") of the Emperor and manager of the Imperial finances. He controls all of the mints, each managed by a *procurator*; is the principal of numerous officials, including more *procuratores*, *rationales*, and *praepositi*, who collect senatorial taxes, custom duties, and some land taxes; is responsible for the yields of the mines; provide budgets for the civil service and armies; supplieZ all uniforms; and is competent for the minor office of:

#### Comes Auri et Metallorum (Companion of Gold and Metals)

The official responsible for gold, as well as other natural recourses and metals. They are required for all public construction agreements, and can seize any materials or land based due to.