Difference between revisions of "Luthadel Assembly"
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== Structure and Powers == |
== Structure and Powers == |
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| − | The Assembly consists of seven [[noble]]s, eight [[skaa]] workers, and eight merchants. Elend set up this structure so that the common people would be able to outvote the nobles. In practice, however, the merchants held themselves separate from and above the other skaa. The King of the [[Dominance#Central Dominance|Central Dominance]] presides over the Assembly and has a vote of his own, and also exercises a [[wikipedia:casting vote|casting vote]] when the Assembly is evenly divided on a matter. If the throne is vacant, the Assembly elects a chancellor to preside and exercise the casting vote.{{book ref|mb2|31}} |
+ | The Assembly consists of seven [[noble]]s, eight [[skaa]] workers, and eight merchants. Elend set up this structure so that the common people would be able to outvote the nobles. In practice, however, the merchants held themselves separate from and above the other skaa. The King of the [[Dominance#Central Dominance|Central Dominance]] presides over the Assembly and has a vote of his own, and also exercises a [[wikipedia:casting vote|casting vote]] when the Assembly is evenly divided on a matter. If the throne is vacant, the Assembly elects a chancellor to preside and exercise the casting vote.{{book ref|mb2|31}} |
| + | Elend intended the Assembly to be an advisory council, whose members could voice concerns to the king and make sure the peoples' voices were heard.{{book ref|mb2|31}}{{book ref|mb2|3}} He also, however, wanted the Assembly to be able to keep the king from becoming a tyrant, and gave it a fair measure of counterbalancing power.{{book ref|mb2|31}} |
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| − | Suspend its own authority to surrender the city (2/3 vote){{book ref|mb2|10}} |
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| − | Depose the king (unanimous vote){{book ref|mb2|28}} |
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| − | One month to choose new king, after which the throne reverts and the monarch cannot be deposed for one year. New king can be same as old king.{{book ref|mb2|28}} |
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| − | Most hold nominations three days before voting. All members can nominate one person; doesn't have to be a member of the Assembly.{{book ref|mb2|31}} |
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| − | Selecting a new king requires a 2/3 majority{{book ref|mb2|38}} |
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| − | Expel a member (unanimous vote){{book ref|mb2|34}} |
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| − | {{quote |
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| − | |"Why not just give me the crown now?" Cett said. "Open your gates to my army." |
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| − | "You can't," Elend said immediately. "Not until there is a king—or unless you can get a unanimous vote right now." |
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| − | |{{book ref|mb2|32}} |
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| − | }} |
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| − | Choose a new king, if the king dies without heir (unknown threshold){{book ref|mb2|20}} |
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| + | Most notably, the Assembly has the power to depose the king, which requires a unanimous vote, except for that of the king. After the king is deposed, the Assembly has one month to choose a new king, after which the throne reverts to the previous king, who then cannot be deposed for another year.{{book ref|mb2|28}} Once the throne is vacant, the chancellor will hold nominations for the throne at an Assembly meeting. All members can nominate one person, and the Assembly must hold the nominations at least three days before it conducts the final vote. A nominee does not have to be a member of the Assembly, and can even be the king who was just deposed.{{book ref|mb2|31}} A two-thirds majority is required to elect a new king from the list of nominees.{{book ref|mb2|38}} The Assembly can also choose a new king if the previous one dies without an heir,{{book ref|mb2|20}} likely by a similar method. |
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| + | |||
| + | The Assembly can also suspend its own authority to surrender the city, which requires a two-thirds vote;{{book ref|mb2|10}} expel a member, which requires a unanimous vote;{{book ref|mb2|34}} and also had authority over more mundane matters, such as who would be in control of the food stores.{{book ref|mb2|10}} Surrendering the city to [[Ashweather Cett]] without a king would have required a unanimous vote.{{book ref|mb2|32}} |
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| + | |||
| ⚫ | |||
{{quote |
{{quote |
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|The Assembly was only twenty-four men, but getting them to agree on anything was almost more challenging than any of the problems they argued about. |
|The Assembly was only twenty-four men, but getting them to agree on anything was almost more challenging than any of the problems they argued about. |
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|Elend's thoughts{{book ref|mb2|3}} |
|Elend's thoughts{{book ref|mb2|3}} |
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}} |
}} |
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| + | The following table lists the known members of the Assembly: |
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| − | There were twenty-four members, split into three eights, representing the Nobility, the merchant class, and the newly-freed skaa population. The named members include the following. |
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| − | |||
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=== During the Siege of Luthadel === |
=== During the Siege of Luthadel === |
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| + | {{cite note}} |
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When King [[Straff Venture]] brings his army to Luthadel to retake the city from his son Elend, the Assembly becomes a threat to Elend's ability to function as king. Taking into consideration the coming winter, the scarcity of food and wood/oil to heat the tenements and, before all, the fact that there are only twenty thousand, mostly untrained, of their soldiers in the city, the Assembly wants to give the city to Straff. With effort, Elend is able to convince the majority of the Assembly to give him time to set up a meeting with his father. Elend is sure that Straff won't attack the city. Then a second army comes to Luthadel, headed by another King, [[Ashweather Cett]], making the Assembly even more nervous. Cett makes his way into the city and is allowed to take residence in one of the abandoned Noble's Keeps. Now two armies besiege Luthadel. |
When King [[Straff Venture]] brings his army to Luthadel to retake the city from his son Elend, the Assembly becomes a threat to Elend's ability to function as king. Taking into consideration the coming winter, the scarcity of food and wood/oil to heat the tenements and, before all, the fact that there are only twenty thousand, mostly untrained, of their soldiers in the city, the Assembly wants to give the city to Straff. With effort, Elend is able to convince the majority of the Assembly to give him time to set up a meeting with his father. Elend is sure that Straff won't attack the city. Then a second army comes to Luthadel, headed by another King, [[Ashweather Cett]], making the Assembly even more nervous. Cett makes his way into the city and is allowed to take residence in one of the abandoned Noble's Keeps. Now two armies besiege Luthadel. |
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| − | When a third army |
+ | When a third army—an army of twenty thousand Koloss, led by King Jastes Lekal—arrives, Elend still tries to convince the Assembly to stay with diplomatic efforts, avoiding a battle that would be desperate and cost a lot of lives. |
| − | When a meeting with Straff is finally arranged, the Assembly schedules a meeting at the same time, knowing that Elend couldn't participate and |
+ | When a meeting with Straff is finally arranged, the Assembly schedules a meeting at the same time, knowing that Elend couldn't participate and—in his absence—depose him, appointing Lord Penrod as new king. They then decide to accept Straff as their emperor, although he would never get the city. |
=== After the Battle of Luthadel === |
=== After the Battle of Luthadel === |
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Revision as of 02:31, 15 April 2020
| Luthadel Assembly | |
|---|---|
| Founder | Elend Venture |
| Leaders | Elend Venture, Ferson Penrod |
| Headquarters | Former Canton of Finance building[1] |
| Type | Council |
| Era | Post-Collapse |
| World of Origin | Scadrial |
| Universe | Cosmere |
The Luthadel Assembly is the ruling council of Luthadel that is established as part of King Elend Venture's new government after the Collapse.[2]
Structure and Powers
The Assembly consists of seven nobles, eight skaa workers, and eight merchants. Elend set up this structure so that the common people would be able to outvote the nobles. In practice, however, the merchants held themselves separate from and above the other skaa. The King of the Central Dominance presides over the Assembly and has a vote of his own, and also exercises a casting vote when the Assembly is evenly divided on a matter. If the throne is vacant, the Assembly elects a chancellor to preside and exercise the casting vote.[3]
Elend intended the Assembly to be an advisory council, whose members could voice concerns to the king and make sure the peoples' voices were heard.[3][2] He also, however, wanted the Assembly to be able to keep the king from becoming a tyrant, and gave it a fair measure of counterbalancing power.[3]
Most notably, the Assembly has the power to depose the king, which requires a unanimous vote, except for that of the king. After the king is deposed, the Assembly has one month to choose a new king, after which the throne reverts to the previous king, who then cannot be deposed for another year.[4] Once the throne is vacant, the chancellor will hold nominations for the throne at an Assembly meeting. All members can nominate one person, and the Assembly must hold the nominations at least three days before it conducts the final vote. A nominee does not have to be a member of the Assembly, and can even be the king who was just deposed.[3] A two-thirds majority is required to elect a new king from the list of nominees.[5] The Assembly can also choose a new king if the previous one dies without an heir,[6] likely by a similar method.
The Assembly can also suspend its own authority to surrender the city, which requires a two-thirds vote;[1] expel a member, which requires a unanimous vote;[7] and also had authority over more mundane matters, such as who would be in control of the food stores.[1] Surrendering the city to Ashweather Cett without a king would have required a unanimous vote.[8]
Members of the Assembly
“The Assembly was only twenty-four men, but getting them to agree on anything was almost more challenging than any of the problems they argued about. ”
—Elend's thoughts[2]
The following table lists the known members of the Assembly:
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History
Origin
After the Lord Ruler's death, Elend gives a speech to the skaa and convinces them to stop rioting and instead set up a new government based on democratic ideals. Once the rioting stops, Elend is named the new king and leads the negotiations and drafting of a new constitution.[9] As a firm believer in democracy, Elend created the Assembly so that the people could have some control over the country, and so that the king could both receive advice and have his power limited.[2][3] The Assembly meets in the building that formerly housed the Canton of Finance.[1]
During the Siege of Luthadel
When King Straff Venture brings his army to Luthadel to retake the city from his son Elend, the Assembly becomes a threat to Elend's ability to function as king. Taking into consideration the coming winter, the scarcity of food and wood/oil to heat the tenements and, before all, the fact that there are only twenty thousand, mostly untrained, of their soldiers in the city, the Assembly wants to give the city to Straff. With effort, Elend is able to convince the majority of the Assembly to give him time to set up a meeting with his father. Elend is sure that Straff won't attack the city. Then a second army comes to Luthadel, headed by another King, Ashweather Cett, making the Assembly even more nervous. Cett makes his way into the city and is allowed to take residence in one of the abandoned Noble's Keeps. Now two armies besiege Luthadel.
When a third army—an army of twenty thousand Koloss, led by King Jastes Lekal—arrives, Elend still tries to convince the Assembly to stay with diplomatic efforts, avoiding a battle that would be desperate and cost a lot of lives.
When a meeting with Straff is finally arranged, the Assembly schedules a meeting at the same time, knowing that Elend couldn't participate and—in his absence—depose him, appointing Lord Penrod as new king. They then decide to accept Straff as their emperor, although he would never get the city.
After the Battle of Luthadel
At the end of the Battle of Luthadel, Vin forces King Ferson Penrod to swear allegiance to Elend. Elend and Vin reign as High Emperor and Empress of the New Empire, while Penrod is allowed to keep his throne,[10] and the Assembly retains its power, subject to an imperial veto.[11] Elend later uses the Assembly as a model for setting up parliamentary councils in the other cities he brings into his empire.[12][13]
Notes
- ↑ a b c d The Well of Ascension chapter 10#
- ↑ a b c d The Well of Ascension chapter 3#
- ↑ a b c d e The Well of Ascension chapter 31#
- ↑ The Well of Ascension chapter 28#
- ↑ The Well of Ascension chapter 38#
- ↑ The Well of Ascension chapter 20#
- ↑ The Well of Ascension chapter 34#
- ↑ The Well of Ascension chapter 32#
- ↑ The Final Empire epilogue#
- ↑ The Well of Ascension chapter 55#
- ↑ The Hero of Ages chapter 5#
- ↑ The Hero of Ages chapter 32#
- ↑ The Hero of Ages chapter 44#