Tiperyn monarchy

The monarchy of Tiperyn, commonly referred to as the Tiperyn monarchy, is the semi-constitutional monarchy of Tiperyn, its dominions, viceroyalties, and realm cities. The monarch takes the title of Empress if female and Emperor if male. The current monarch is Empress Aletta I who ascended to the throne in 2003.

Succession
The laws of succession are laid out in the Stallings Concordant. The system is semi-elective with a cohort of electors at a succession convention voting for the heir to the throne from a list of potential heirs provided to them by House Highal. The cohort is derived from the duchies that are eligible to send their dukes and duchesses to the Congress of Nobles. The cohort's voting power is roughly proportional to the population of each duchy, but they vote as a bloc based on the preference of their duke or duchy. Princedoms are not formally included in the process, but caucus with the larger duchies. Included in the cohort is the Grand Duchy of Tipslan, which is represented by the heir apparent to the Grand Dukedom. They are typically the eldest daughter of the Grand Duke/Duchess and the highest ranked potential heir to the throne of monarch. The list contains from 1 to 10 candidates for the throne. It is determined by matrilineal primogeniture by which the eldest daughter of the previous monarch is ranked highest followed by the younger daughters and then female cousins on the monarch's side of the family. The leader of the house, typically the oldest member of the house or one whose authority is delegated from the previous monarch's will, may choose how many candidates are put forth. However, they may not skip in the line of succession. For example, if the third in line to the throne is not considered, the fourth in line my not be considered. Because a male heir is only considered if there are no eligible female heirs, there has only been one male monarch in Tiperyn's history.

The vote in theory uses whereby electors rank their preferences for heir. Due to the relative power of the Grand Duchy of Tipslan, under the interim rule by the top listed candidate, and Duchies of Idlerein and Wittenland, which are ruled by off-shoots of the House Highal, chosen heir has always been the top ranked candidate provided by House Highal. Since the 19th century, House Highal has only submitted one candidate—the heir apparent—or the heir apparent and one or more candidates with little support in the Congress of Nobles to the cohort for consideration. As a result, the cohort and the vote itself is a in practical terms.

In theory, this system is meant to make sure the monarch governs with the consent of the lower nobles. In practice, it maintains the power of the largest duchies which are favored by House Highal while legitimizing the succession process. The succession system has been disputed by less populace duchies throughout history. The Dukes' Rebellion in Tiperyn's early history was the first armed conflict to result from the dominating power of the Grand Duchy of Tipslan, but was ultimately unsuccessful. The Crown Guard was founded during the rebellion to safeguard against future insurrection against the monarch, which then transitioned into the Holy Guard after the church was unified with the state. More minor rebellions have taken place in ethnically Anglic or Tipslansk areas, but have typically been put down with the duchies' succession obligations being maintained. More disruptive conflicts have led to the ejection of ethnically Goidelic duchies from the process, however. The Goidelic-dominant duchies of Darimh, Rosraig, and Poc'her were barred from sending electors to the succession convention following the assassination of Empress Atina III and the beginning of the First Goidelic Seccession. Their noble families were dismantled and disgraced during the Grand Campaigns when Goidelic areas attempted to secede with republican support. Thus, no ethnically Goidelic duchies are involved in the succession process.