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Sithlent - Blood, Sweat, Tears, and the Ballot Box
Blood, Sweat, Tears, and the Ballot Box: A List of Thayland's Leaders From the Revolutionary Era To Present Day
The Revolutionary Era (1809–1824)
(1809–1810†): James IV of Thayland (Non-partisan) [1]
(1810–1812): Charles Joseph Grey (Foxite) [2]
(1812–1813†): Edward Carleton (Foxite) [3]
(1813–1817): Thomas Bradford (Foxite) [4]
(1817–1819): George Pearson (Non-partisan) [5]
(1819–1820): Interim Government [6]
(1820–1824): William Cofferstone (Foxite) [7]
1820 Def. James Eagleton (Moderate)
[1] Following a series of violent protests and riots against the magic-using aristocracy and Thayland's autocratic monarchy, King James IV and his privy council hastily reformed the political system in 1809, establishing an interim government led by the king. Unfortunately for the young monarch, he would be ousted and eventually executed during a bloody coup d'etat that would later be remembered as the Revolution of 1810. His political plans for a semi-constitutional monarchy quickly died along with him.
[2] Liberal lawyer and academic Charles Joseph Grey's monumental rise to national leadership during the closing stages of the Revolution of 1810 would mark a significant watershed moment in Thaylish history, as the old magic-and-class hierarchy implemented ever since the rise of feudalism was suddenly destroyed by one single military uprising. After the execution of James IV and the rest of the Royal Family, the moderate Grey was unanimously chosen to serve as the nation's interim leader until a new constitution could be ratified and peace could finally be established in the new chaotic republic. However, his administration would ultimately do little to heal the new nation's prenatal wounds as he quickly sided with the Foxite faction of the revolutionaries—bona fide classical liberals inspired by the writings of influential novelist and philosopher Robert Fox, who advocated for worldwide secularism, individualism, and democracy in his various writings. The Foxites were also known for their militarist bent, as they were the primary advocates of the violent Revolution of 1810 instead of a more peaceful approach to liberalizing the nation. Grey's brief term in office would echo his faction's militarist tendencies—despite including freedom of expression and freedom of speech as part of their political manifesto, thousands of monarchists, aristocrats, and former supporters of the crown would be arrested and later executed in a period colloquially known as "the Troubled Times". Grey would later resign from public office in 1812 after narrowly avoiding an assassination attempt.
[3] After the resignation of Charles Joseph Grey in 1812, his right-hand advisor and revolutionary moderate Edward Carleton would quickly assume the leadership of the interim council in 1812. His attempts at ending the Troubled Times and restoring the nation's legal system through a series of radical reforms would eventually cost him his own life, dying in another coup d'etat led by hardline Foxites dissatisfied at his leniency on cracking down on monarchists.
[4] Former revolutionary war hero and lieutenant general Thomas Bradford would be prominently remembered in Thaylish history as the first successful post-Revolutionary leader — despite being led into office as a part of a violent coup d'etat against the moderate Carleton, Bradford proved to be a capable and charismatic leader during the Troubled Times and the post-Revolutionary era, overseeing the beginning of the Constitutional Convention in 1816 and enacting the Declaration of Liberties in 1815, which guaranteed a variety of basic individual liberties such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and freedom of assembly for Thayland's citizens. He would later resign from the office in 1817, hoping to set a precedent by enforcing a strict four-year term limit for Thayland's future executive leaders.
[5] In a 6-5 vote in the interim council, author and political firebrand George Pearson would be narrowly elected to the leadership of the interim council following the peaceful resignation of Bradford in 1817. Despite being a hardline Foxite during the early stages of the Revolution, Pearson quickly rescinded his former political fervor after witnessing the chaotic Troubled Times and later declared himself non-partisan during the middle of his term in office. He would be the last leader of the interim government, as the Thaylish Constitution would finally be ratified and approved by the interim council in 1819. The Constitution established a strong and heavily influential Head of Government whilst making the Head of State a largely ceremonial position along with a bicameral legislature and heavily liberal undertones throughout the entirety of the Constitution, supporting "basic Human and Individual Liberties" whilst also "ensuring Justice and Order can Succeed in Thayland". The first legislative elections were scheduled for 1820, with the Foxites and Moderates (a more moderate and conservative branch of the revolutionaries) finally becoming full-fledged political factions.
[6] The brief period between the first legislative elections and the ratification of the Thaylish Constitution was an especially stressful one for Thayland's leaders, as massive preparations were to be made for the nation's first ever free (for white landed men, at least) and fair (quite corrupt, actually) elections in its history as a sovereign nation. Due to this, no supreme leader was ever elected to head the interim council and instead, the interim council briefly re-branded itself as the "Interim Government", with each of its ministerial leaders serving to firmly establish their respective fields in the new republic.
[7] At last, the 1820 elections came. To the surprise of very few, the Foxites managed to maintain their political control over Thayland with the election of influential Foxite leader William Cofferstone as Head of Government or the Chancellorship, as it is popularly known as nowadays. Cofferstone's administration largely set up the remaining groundwork left to reaffirm the Republic of Thayland's legitimacy in the world. His most controversial act would be re-establishing foreign relations with the monarchy's former allies in 1822, earning him a significant amount of hatred and opposition from his fellow Foxites. He would later appease the party hardliners by granting partial abolition to the children of those affected by chattel slavery in 1823. His government would also mark the official end of the Revolutionary Era and the transition into the First Political Era of Thayland.
The Revolutionary Era (1809–1824)
(1809–1810†): James IV of Thayland (Non-partisan) [1]
(1810–1812): Charles Joseph Grey (Foxite) [2]
(1812–1813†): Edward Carleton (Foxite) [3]
(1813–1817): Thomas Bradford (Foxite) [4]
(1817–1819): George Pearson (Non-partisan) [5]
(1819–1820): Interim Government [6]
(1820–1824): William Cofferstone (Foxite) [7]
1820 Def. James Eagleton (Moderate)
[1] Following a series of violent protests and riots against the magic-using aristocracy and Thayland's autocratic monarchy, King James IV and his privy council hastily reformed the political system in 1809, establishing an interim government led by the king. Unfortunately for the young monarch, he would be ousted and eventually executed during a bloody coup d'etat that would later be remembered as the Revolution of 1810. His political plans for a semi-constitutional monarchy quickly died along with him.
[2] Liberal lawyer and academic Charles Joseph Grey's monumental rise to national leadership during the closing stages of the Revolution of 1810 would mark a significant watershed moment in Thaylish history, as the old magic-and-class hierarchy implemented ever since the rise of feudalism was suddenly destroyed by one single military uprising. After the execution of James IV and the rest of the Royal Family, the moderate Grey was unanimously chosen to serve as the nation's interim leader until a new constitution could be ratified and peace could finally be established in the new chaotic republic. However, his administration would ultimately do little to heal the new nation's prenatal wounds as he quickly sided with the Foxite faction of the revolutionaries—bona fide classical liberals inspired by the writings of influential novelist and philosopher Robert Fox, who advocated for worldwide secularism, individualism, and democracy in his various writings. The Foxites were also known for their militarist bent, as they were the primary advocates of the violent Revolution of 1810 instead of a more peaceful approach to liberalizing the nation. Grey's brief term in office would echo his faction's militarist tendencies—despite including freedom of expression and freedom of speech as part of their political manifesto, thousands of monarchists, aristocrats, and former supporters of the crown would be arrested and later executed in a period colloquially known as "the Troubled Times". Grey would later resign from public office in 1812 after narrowly avoiding an assassination attempt.
[3] After the resignation of Charles Joseph Grey in 1812, his right-hand advisor and revolutionary moderate Edward Carleton would quickly assume the leadership of the interim council in 1812. His attempts at ending the Troubled Times and restoring the nation's legal system through a series of radical reforms would eventually cost him his own life, dying in another coup d'etat led by hardline Foxites dissatisfied at his leniency on cracking down on monarchists.
[4] Former revolutionary war hero and lieutenant general Thomas Bradford would be prominently remembered in Thaylish history as the first successful post-Revolutionary leader — despite being led into office as a part of a violent coup d'etat against the moderate Carleton, Bradford proved to be a capable and charismatic leader during the Troubled Times and the post-Revolutionary era, overseeing the beginning of the Constitutional Convention in 1816 and enacting the Declaration of Liberties in 1815, which guaranteed a variety of basic individual liberties such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and freedom of assembly for Thayland's citizens. He would later resign from the office in 1817, hoping to set a precedent by enforcing a strict four-year term limit for Thayland's future executive leaders.
[5] In a 6-5 vote in the interim council, author and political firebrand George Pearson would be narrowly elected to the leadership of the interim council following the peaceful resignation of Bradford in 1817. Despite being a hardline Foxite during the early stages of the Revolution, Pearson quickly rescinded his former political fervor after witnessing the chaotic Troubled Times and later declared himself non-partisan during the middle of his term in office. He would be the last leader of the interim government, as the Thaylish Constitution would finally be ratified and approved by the interim council in 1819. The Constitution established a strong and heavily influential Head of Government whilst making the Head of State a largely ceremonial position along with a bicameral legislature and heavily liberal undertones throughout the entirety of the Constitution, supporting "basic Human and Individual Liberties" whilst also "ensuring Justice and Order can Succeed in Thayland". The first legislative elections were scheduled for 1820, with the Foxites and Moderates (a more moderate and conservative branch of the revolutionaries) finally becoming full-fledged political factions.
[6] The brief period between the first legislative elections and the ratification of the Thaylish Constitution was an especially stressful one for Thayland's leaders, as massive preparations were to be made for the nation's first ever free (for white landed men, at least) and fair (quite corrupt, actually) elections in its history as a sovereign nation. Due to this, no supreme leader was ever elected to head the interim council and instead, the interim council briefly re-branded itself as the "Interim Government", with each of its ministerial leaders serving to firmly establish their respective fields in the new republic.
[7] At last, the 1820 elections came. To the surprise of very few, the Foxites managed to maintain their political control over Thayland with the election of influential Foxite leader William Cofferstone as Head of Government or the Chancellorship, as it is popularly known as nowadays. Cofferstone's administration largely set up the remaining groundwork left to reaffirm the Republic of Thayland's legitimacy in the world. His most controversial act would be re-establishing foreign relations with the monarchy's former allies in 1822, earning him a significant amount of hatred and opposition from his fellow Foxites. He would later appease the party hardliners by granting partial abolition to the children of those affected by chattel slavery in 1823. His government would also mark the official end of the Revolutionary Era and the transition into the First Political Era of Thayland.
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