Elector
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The succession of the Emperor of the Empire is not a hereditary affair. Instead a new emperor is elected: 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.[5a][7a][8b]
It is usual for the son or heir of the current emperor to succeed, but this has not always happened. [4][5a] The Electors can also de facto depose a weak emperor and this has happened with Dieter IV [3i][11a]
Contents
Elector Counts
Initially there were twelve Elector Counts, the hereditary rulers of their provinces. [5a][7b][10] Two provinces have been lost (Drakwald and Solland), together with their respective ruling families. [5a][7b]
The Elector Count positions are hereditary [4][5a][7a][10], and usually passed from father to eldest child Needs Citation. As a badge of office each Elector Count wields a Runefang one of the twelve magic swords forged by Dwarf Runesmith Alaric the Mad. [5b][10] The Elector Count titles have passed between families as dynasties have withered, intermarried, perished in battle or even hostile takeovers. [4][5a][8b]
Technically the Emperor rules over the whole Empire, and the Elector Counts owe him their loyalty. 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][7a]
Electors
In 2522 IC there are fifteen Electors, only ten of whom are Elector Counts, the others being just known as 'Electors'.[4][5a][7a] Over the years other invidinuals have won or bought a right to cast a vote, but they cannot become Emperors themselves. [5a][7a][8b]
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).[5b][7a][8b]
Even the Halfling Elder of the Moot has an Electoral Vote "due to the Halflings' contribution to Imperial cuisine". [5b][7a][8b]
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 OR Marius Leitdorf[12] | 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 OR Graf Boris Todbringer[12] | Graf 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 and Prince of Marienburg, Terror of the Norscans[3d] | N/A | Theoderic Gausser[12] | 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 | Wolfram Hertwig[12] | 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 | Graf 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 OR Helmut Feuerbach[12] | 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 | Grand Theogonist of the Empire, Arch Lector of the West, Lector of Reikland, High Priest of Sigmar, Elector | N/A | Yorri XV OR Volkmar the Grim[12] | Volkmar the Grim[7a][11b] OR Esmer III[3a] | 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[7a][11b] OR Thorgad IV[3a] | Talabheim | ||
| The Cult of Sigmar | Arch Lector of the South, Lector of Wissenland, High Priest of Nuln, Elector | N/A | Kasmir XI | Kaslain[7a][11b] OR Kasmir XI[3a] | Nuln | ||
| The Cult of Ulric | Ar-Ulric, Elector | N/A | Jarrick Valgeir | Emil Valgeir | Middenheim | Leader of the Cult of Ulric. | |
| Former positions | |||||||
| Drakwald | Elector Count of Drakwald | Konrad Aldrech or Vilner | N/A | N/A | Unknown | Province was later divided between Middenland and Nordland.[5a][7b] | |
| Marienburg | Elector Count of Marienburg | Unknown | N/A | N/A | Marienburg | Province seceded in 2429 IC becoming The Wasteland.[11a] | |
| 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 Pfeildorf, Baron(ess) of Geschberg | Eldred | Etelka III of House Toppenheimer | N/A | Pfeildorf | Eldred was slain by Orc Warlord Gorbad Ironclaw.Province was later annexed by Wissenland.[5a][7b]. | |
| 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. | |
| 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] | |
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. [9]
In 1010 IC Emperor Ludwig the Fat awarded an Electoral vote to the Elder of the Moot, the representative of the Halflings. [8b]
Weapons and Equipment
- 3rd Edition: Runefang, Heavy Armour. May ride Barded Warhorse or a fabulous beast. [10]
- 4rd Edition: Included in the General of the Empire and as Special Characters. [5c]
- 6th Edition: Hand Weapon. May have Full Plate Armour, Great Weapon, Handgun, Heavy Armour, Lance, Light Armour, Longbow, Pistol, Shield. May have Magic Items (which includes Runefang). May ride a Barded Warhorse, Griffon or Pegasus. [8a]
- Since 6th edition, Empire armybooks again used more universal character as the Lord-level commander, the Empire General which can be the Elector Counts in addition to other high ranking officers.
Version Differences
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- The first detailed description of the Empire was published during the 2nd Edition of Warhammer: Fantasy Battles in the 1986 Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (1st Edition) 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] This list is now outdated, see The Empire (outdated).
- The 1993 publication of Warhammer Armies: The Empire (4th Edition) simplified the 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. But the armybook did not provide names for the Electors. [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.
- 2007 publication of Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition) contained the same list with the exception of Cult of Sigmar priesthood being different. [7a]
- Warhammer Armies: The Empire (8th Edition) in 2012 matched the 7th edition list, where despite references to the Storm of Chaos being removed the death of Marius Leitdorf and disappearance of Helmut Feuerbach were still referenced.[11a]
- The 2019 WFRP 4th edition 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, Scribe of the Lexicanum!
This article needs some improvement on its citations. |
- 1: The Enemy Within (Supplement) (Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (1st Edition)), pg. 14
- 2: Enemy in Shadows Companion (Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)), pgs. 13-14
- 3: Sigmar's Heirs: A Guide to the Empire
- 4: Uniforms & Heraldry of The Empire, pg. 3 & 9
- 5: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (4th Edition)
- 6: Warhammer: Glottkin, Book 1, pg. 95
- 7: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (8th Edition)
- 8: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (6th Edition)
- 9: Tome of Salvation: Chapter 1: A Brief History of the Cults of the Empire, pg. 14-15
- 10: White Dwarf 147 (UK): Empire Army List, pg. 46
- 11: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition)
- 12: Prince of Altdorf (Short Story)
