Elector
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The succession to the Imperial throne is not a hereditary affair. Instead, a new emperor is elected, and does not inherit the throne from his father. Upon the death of an emperor the Imperial Council gathers. The Electors, who are the most influential, powerful, and important individuals of the whole Empire, will then choose the new emperor. The Electors can also de facto depose a weak emperor.
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Elector Counts
Formerly there were only twelve Elector Counts, the hereditary rulers of their provinces. [10a] Today there are fifteen Electors, only ten of whom are Elector Counts, the others being just known as 'Electors'. Two provinces were lost, together with their respective ruling families.
The Elector Count positions are hereditary, and usually passed from father to eldest child [4][5a]. As a badge of office each Elector Count wields a Runefang one of the twelve magic swords forged by Dwarf Runesmith Alaric the Mad. [10a]
Technically the Emperor rules over the whole Empire, and the Elector Counts owe him their loyalty [4]. In reality the true power belongs to the Elector Counts, as each province is usually very independent and generally more loyal to its local ruler. On many issues the Emperor is but the 'first among equals'. As rulers of their provinces the Elector Counts must defend them from internal rebellions and outside threats [4].
Electors
The Ar-Ulric, head of the cult of Ulric, eventually became an Elector. Even more successful was the Cult of Sigmar, as the Electors include not only the Grand Theogonist but also the two Arch-Lectors of Sigmar. This development increased the natural rivalry between these two cults, which is an ever-present and important factor during most elections. Under normal circumstances, these electors will vote for those Elector Counts from the provinces and cities that are home to their respective cults: Reikland/Altdorf (Sigmar) and Middenland/Middenheim (Ulric).
In 1010 IC Emperor Ludwig the Fat awarded an Electoral vote to the Elder of the Moot, the representative of the Halflings.
List of Electors
| Electors | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Title[2] | Last Elector | Name (2512)[2] | Name (2522+)[3a] | Residence | Notes | |
| Current positions | |||||||
| Averland | Grand Count(ess) of Averland, Elector Count(ess) of Averland, Prince(ss) of Averheim, Count(ess) of Gaital | N/A | Ludmila I of House Alptraum | Contested, formerly Marius Leitdorf (deceased) | Averheim | No clear heir, position is currently disputed. | |
| Hochland | Grand Baron of Hochland, Elector Count of Hochland, Marshal of the Talabec Reach, Defender of the Shrines, Baron of Hergig[3b] | N/A | N/A | Aldebrand Ludenhof | Hergig | Previously non-Electoral, and attached to Talabheim. | |
| Middenland | Grand Duke of Middenland, Elector Count of Middenland, Prince of Carroburg, Protector of the Drakwald, Warden of the Middle Mountains, Beloved of Ulric[3c] | N/A | Leopold I of House Bildhofen | Boris Todbringer | Middenheim/Carroburg | Middenheim is a city-state and centre of the cult of Ulric. | |
| Nordland | Grand Baron of Nordland, Elector Count of Nordland, Prince of Salzenmund, Lord of Laurelorn, Duke of Marienburg, Terror of the Norscans[3d] | N/A | N/A | Theoderic Gausser | Salzenmund | ||
| Ostland | Grand Prince of Ostland, Elector Count of Ostland, Prince of Wolfenburg, Graf of Tasseninck, Margrave of the Northern March, Hammer of the East[3f] | N/A | Hans-Hals I of House Tasseninck | Valmir von Raukov | Wolfenburg | ||
| Ostermark | Chancellor of the League of Ostermark, Elector Count of Ostermark, Prince of Bechafen[3e] | N/A | N/A | Wolfram Hertwig | Bechafen | Previously non-Electoral, and attached to Talabecland. | |
| Reikland | Grand Prince of the Reikland, Elector Count of Reikland, Prince of Altdorf, Count of the West March, Sigmar’s Chosen | N/A | Emperor Karl Franz I of House Holswig-Schliestein | Karl Franz | Altdorf (current capital of the Empire) | Altdorf is a city-state and centre of the cult of Sigmar. | |
| Stirland | Grand Duke of Stirland, Elector Count of Stirland, Prince of Wurtbad, Overlord of Sylvania[3g] | N/A | Alberich V of House Haupt-Anderssen | Alberich Haupt-Anderssen | Wurtbad | ||
| Talabecland | Grand Duke of Talabecland, Elector Count of Talabecland, Count of Krieglitz, Grátaal (Beloved of Taal), Margrave of the East March[3h] | N/A | Gustav XI of House Krieglitz | Helmut Feuerbach (missing) | Castle Schloss/Talabheim | Talabheim is a city-state. | |
| Wissenland | Grand Countess of Nuln, Elector Countess of Wissenland, Duchess of Meissen[3i] | N/A | Emmanuelle II of House Liebwitz | Emmanuelle von Liebwitz | Nuln | Nuln is a city-state. | |
| Mootland | Elder of the Moot, Elector | N/A | Hisme Stoutheart | Hisme Stoutheart | Eicheschatten | Representative of all Halflings in the Empire. | |
| The Cult of Sigmar | Theogonist of the Empire, Arch Lector of the West, Lector of Reikland, High Priest of Sigmar, Elector | N/A | Yorri XV | Volkmar | Altdorf | Leader of the Cult of Sigmar. | |
| The Cult of Sigmar | Arch Lector of the East, Lector of Talabecland, High Priest of Talabheim, Elector | N/A | Aglim | Aglim | Talabheim | ||
| The Cult of Sigmar | Arch Lector of the South, Lector of Wissenland, High Priest of Nuln, Elector | N/A | Kasmir XI | Thorgad IV | Nuln | ||
| The Cult of Ulric | Ar-Ulric, Elector | N/A | Jarrick Valgeir | Emil Valgeir | Middenheim | Leader of the Cult of Ulric. | |
| End-times positions | |||||||
| Sylvania | Elector Count of Sylvania | N/A | N/A | Vlad von Carstein | Waldenhof | Made an Elector Count in extremis in 2525, to aid the defence of Altdorf from the Glottkin.[6] | |
| Former positions | |||||||
| Drakwald | Elector Count of Drakwald | Konrad Aldrech or Vilner | N/A | N/A | Unknown | Province was later divided between Middenland and Nordland. | |
| Marienburg | Elector Count of Marienburg | Unknown | N/A | N/A | Marienburg | Province seceded later becoming The Wasteland. | |
| Middenheim | Grand Duke of Middenheim, Elector Count of Middenheim, Ban-Ulric (Beloved of Ulric) | N/A | Boris X of House Todbringer | N/A | Middenheim | Middenheim is a city-state. Boris Todbringer remains an Elector Count in 2522 under Middenland. | |
| Solland/Sudenland | Grand Baron(ess) of Sudenland, Elector Count(ess) of Sudenland, Baron(ess) of Pfeldorf, Baron(ess) of Geschberg | Eldred | Etelka III of House Toppenheimer | N/A | Pfeldorf | Eldred was slain by Orc Warlord Gorbad Ironclaw. Province was later annexed by Wissenland. | |
| Talabheim | Grand Duchess of Talabheim, Elector Countess of Talabheim, Luddataal (Chosen of Taal) | N/A | Elise IX of House Krieglitz-Untern | N/A | Talabheim | Talabheim is a city-state. | |
History
Following the departure of Sigmar, arguments broke out amongst the counts of the various Grand Provinces as to who would succeed him. It was a High Priest of Rhya that suggested they elect a candidate and the counts agreed, wishing to avoid civil war. The first elected Emperor was Siegrich I, count of Averland who then enshrined the process in law and re-titled the Counts as Elector Counts. [9a]
Weapons and Equipment
- 3rd Edition: Runefang, Heavy Armour. May ride Barded Warhorse or a fabulous beast. [10a]
- 6th Edition: Hand Weapon. May have Full Plate Armour, Great Weapon, Handgun, Heavy Armour, Lance, Light Armour, Longbow, Pistol, Shield. May have Magic Items. May ride a Barded Warhorse, Griffon or Pegasus. [8a]
Version Differences
The first detailed description of the Empire was published during the 2nd Edition of Warhammer in the 1986 Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (WFRP) Publication The Enemy Within. Set in 2512, it contained a list of 15 Electors that was made up of a mix of the leaders of provinces, city-states, and religious cults.[1]
The 1993 publication of Warhammer Armies: The Empire simplified this list, removing the city-states of Middenheim and Talabheim from the list of electoral provinces along with the province of Sudenland, and promoting the provinces of Hochland, Nordland, and Ostermark in their place.[5b] This list was confirmed as current in the 2005 publication Sigmar's Heirs: A Guide to the Empire,[24] set in 2522 in the aftermath of the now-retconned Storm of Chaos. This list was again confirmed in the 8th edition Warhammer Armies: the Empire, where despite references to the Storm of Chaos being removed the death of Marius Leitdorf and disappearance of Helmut Feuerbach were still referenced.[7]
The 2019 WFRP publication the Enemy in Shadows Companion, set in 2512, used the original set of provinces including the city states and Sudenland[2] indicating that the list of electors had been reformed at some point between 2512 and 2522. This would mean that Solland would have to have been reformed (as Sudenland) at some time after its 1707 dissolution following the death of Eldred, only to be disbanded again.
Sources
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Attention, Adept of the LEXICANUM!
This article needs some improvement on its citations. |
- 1: The Enemy Within (Supplement), pg. 14
- 2: Enemy in Shadows Companion, pgs. 13-14
- 3: Sigmar's Heirs: A Guide to the Empire
- 4: Uniforms & Heraldry of The Empire, pg. 3
- 5: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (4th Edition)
- 6: Warhammer: The End Times Glottkin, Book 1, pg. 95
- 7: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (8th Edition), pg. 13
- 8: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (6th Edition)
- 8a: Armies of the Empire, pg. 26
- 9: Tome of Salvation
- 9a: Chapter 1: A Brief History of the Cults of the Empire, pg. 14-15
- 10: White Dwarf 147 (UK)
- 10a: Empire Army List, pg. 46
