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Council of Lords of Lithuania, 1912
This is not an update or a special chapter, but something that is going to be important quite soon, as we're going to enter a very important point in TTL Lithuanian history. Think of this as a some sort of "character page" for personalities which will play a role in the future.
The Council of Lords - Ponų taryba
A direct successor of the 15th century advisory council to the Grand Duke, the Council of Lords started out as a powerless advisory institution to the monarch, but it later grew in power during the Hetmanate period and, after Jonas II's restoration of Imperial rule, was reorganized as an equivalent of a cabinet of ministers.
Members:
Emperor of Lithuania - Lietuvos ciesorius
The supreme head of state in the Empire, the Emperor (sometimes referred to in other languages as a "Ciesor", an appropriation of the Lithuanian term for the monarch) has absolute rule over the country and directs it's domestic, foreign and war policy, among other things. No law in the land can come into effect without his approval, and the people look up to him as a symbol of power, order and patriotism. However, the extent to which an Emperor can use (or abuse) these powers depends solely on his own competence.
Current holder: Jo Ciesoriškoji Didenybė, Lietuvos ir Visos Rusios Ciesorius, Žygimantas IV Gediminaitis
Žygimantas IV ascended into his position at a very young age, and started out with zero experience or skill in ruling the country - and unfortunately to everyone, he also has to lead Lithuania during the greatest conflict in human history up to this point. He lacks initiative of ambition, instead delegating the day-to-day affairs to his advisors, and rumors say that he had started to regret drawing Lithuania to the Great European War and thus drowns his sorrows in alcohol. Whether or not it is true, it's not a great thing to anyone involved, seeing as the Emperor is supposed to be a person the people can look up to.
Grand Chancellor of Lithuania - Lietuvos didysis kancleris
Previously a position limited to stamping documents and looking after the Chancellery, the Grand Chancellor has since become the effective head of government of the country, and their powers extend to proposing laws, influencing their passage and forming the goals of the government. While the Emperor remains more powerful, the Grand Chancellor is still the second man in the country.
Current holder: Vincentas Jonas Čepukas
A notorious militarist and warmonger, Čepukas, a magnate from Samogitia, is probably the man most responsible for drawing Lithuania into the Great European War. He is a firm loyalist of the monarchist government and wishes to see his beloved Empire rise to become the dominating nation in Europe. While he is not responsible for foreign policy, he has already overlaid his wishes for a postwar Europe, which include annexing Poland, dismantling the rest of Visegrad into weak nation-states, acquiring Finland as a buffer puppet state and taking over all of Volga-Russia. The Emperor sees him as competent and effective, and delegates most of the lawmaking to him.
Grand Marshal of Lithuania - Lietuvos didysis maršalka
The Grand Marshal is the closest equivalent to an internal affairs minister - they are responsible for upholding order in the court, running the law enforcement and the Saugumas secret police, and making sure that the laws released by the Council of Lords are followed throughout the country. He is also in control of the judicial system. It is a highly respected and important government position, almost on the rank of the Grand Chancellor.
Current holder: Radimir Viktorovich Krashensky
Before his appointment, Krashensky was a landless, but influential Ruthenian noble from Chernigov. He is notably more lax on law enforcement than his predecessors, who, under Mykolas I's orders, tried to turn Lithuania into a police state. Still, he doesn't turn a blind eye to his countrymen, and so far, he has been successful in keeping up order in the nation. However, the Lithuanian nationalist contingents in the Imperial government wish to see him removed, often for the simple reason that he is a Slav.
Grand Hetman of Lithuania - Lietuvos didysis etmonas
In the past, the Grand Hetman would run the country as a dictator, but while those times came to an end, the position has not been removed. They are responsible for military affairs, making war plans and executing them, overseeing military logistics and often leading armies themselves. However, the Hetman's powers unofficially extend beyond that - the military has always been a powerful force in Lithuanian politics, and through that, the Hetman holds a lot of influence in lawmaking and government affairs.
Current holder: Jogaila Aukštaitis
As his surname implies, Aukštaitis hails from Aukštaitija, the region of ethnic Lithuania to the north of Vilnius. Much like the Grand Chancellor, the Hetman is in favor of continuing the war, though his wishes are not nearly as ambitious. He is an old guard and relies on 19th century tactics, directly opposite to his second-in-command, the Field Hetman Silvestras Žukauskas, developer of the "creeping barrage" and one of the most innovative army leaders in the conflict. The two men often get into conflict, as Žukauskas sees the war as unwinnable and Aukštaitis almost goes as far as to call that treasonous.
Grand Treasurer of Lithuania - Lietuvos didysis iždininkas
The Grand Treasurer is responsible for the finances of the Empire, something very important in this war. Cooperating with the Grand Marshal, they and their institution collect taxes and other profits and organize the budget for how to spend them. His second-in-command, the Court Treasurer, is responsible for the finances of the monarch's court and family.
Current holder: Martynas Yčas
Yčas was appointed at the beginning of the Great European War under Čepukas's order. A military man, he was brought to the Council of Lords to oversee the Empire's mobilization and military buildup, which he has successfully done. Thanks to him, Lithuania remains in top fighting shale despite over a year of conflict having already passed. However, Yčas neglects the civilian parts of the budget, and his service has been marked by major cuts in civilian domestic spending.
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary - Nepaprastasis pasiuntinys ir įgaliotasis ministras
The Minister Plenipotentiary is the highest diplomatic position in the Empire, responsible for the nation's ambassador and diplomat corps, accepting foreign emissaries in the Imperial Palaces, and, under extraordinary circumstances, serving as a diplomatic representative of the Emperor. It is the most recent position in the Council of Lords, and many are still complaining about it's inclusion.
Current holder: Jonas Valančiūnas
The only member of the current Council who is not of noble birth, Valančiūnas hails from the middle class and from Vilnius, although with a diplomatic background. So far, because of the stubborn warmongering of the Council, he has had little chance to be of service, as neither side in the war wishes to negotiate on peace terms. However, he personally sees the war as a hassle, and hopes to bring an end to it once the time is right.
The Council of Lords - Ponų taryba
A direct successor of the 15th century advisory council to the Grand Duke, the Council of Lords started out as a powerless advisory institution to the monarch, but it later grew in power during the Hetmanate period and, after Jonas II's restoration of Imperial rule, was reorganized as an equivalent of a cabinet of ministers.
Members:
Emperor of Lithuania - Lietuvos ciesorius
The supreme head of state in the Empire, the Emperor (sometimes referred to in other languages as a "Ciesor", an appropriation of the Lithuanian term for the monarch) has absolute rule over the country and directs it's domestic, foreign and war policy, among other things. No law in the land can come into effect without his approval, and the people look up to him as a symbol of power, order and patriotism. However, the extent to which an Emperor can use (or abuse) these powers depends solely on his own competence.
Current holder: Jo Ciesoriškoji Didenybė, Lietuvos ir Visos Rusios Ciesorius, Žygimantas IV Gediminaitis
Žygimantas IV ascended into his position at a very young age, and started out with zero experience or skill in ruling the country - and unfortunately to everyone, he also has to lead Lithuania during the greatest conflict in human history up to this point. He lacks initiative of ambition, instead delegating the day-to-day affairs to his advisors, and rumors say that he had started to regret drawing Lithuania to the Great European War and thus drowns his sorrows in alcohol. Whether or not it is true, it's not a great thing to anyone involved, seeing as the Emperor is supposed to be a person the people can look up to.
Grand Chancellor of Lithuania - Lietuvos didysis kancleris
Previously a position limited to stamping documents and looking after the Chancellery, the Grand Chancellor has since become the effective head of government of the country, and their powers extend to proposing laws, influencing their passage and forming the goals of the government. While the Emperor remains more powerful, the Grand Chancellor is still the second man in the country.
Current holder: Vincentas Jonas Čepukas
A notorious militarist and warmonger, Čepukas, a magnate from Samogitia, is probably the man most responsible for drawing Lithuania into the Great European War. He is a firm loyalist of the monarchist government and wishes to see his beloved Empire rise to become the dominating nation in Europe. While he is not responsible for foreign policy, he has already overlaid his wishes for a postwar Europe, which include annexing Poland, dismantling the rest of Visegrad into weak nation-states, acquiring Finland as a buffer puppet state and taking over all of Volga-Russia. The Emperor sees him as competent and effective, and delegates most of the lawmaking to him.
Grand Marshal of Lithuania - Lietuvos didysis maršalka
The Grand Marshal is the closest equivalent to an internal affairs minister - they are responsible for upholding order in the court, running the law enforcement and the Saugumas secret police, and making sure that the laws released by the Council of Lords are followed throughout the country. He is also in control of the judicial system. It is a highly respected and important government position, almost on the rank of the Grand Chancellor.
Current holder: Radimir Viktorovich Krashensky
Before his appointment, Krashensky was a landless, but influential Ruthenian noble from Chernigov. He is notably more lax on law enforcement than his predecessors, who, under Mykolas I's orders, tried to turn Lithuania into a police state. Still, he doesn't turn a blind eye to his countrymen, and so far, he has been successful in keeping up order in the nation. However, the Lithuanian nationalist contingents in the Imperial government wish to see him removed, often for the simple reason that he is a Slav.
Grand Hetman of Lithuania - Lietuvos didysis etmonas
In the past, the Grand Hetman would run the country as a dictator, but while those times came to an end, the position has not been removed. They are responsible for military affairs, making war plans and executing them, overseeing military logistics and often leading armies themselves. However, the Hetman's powers unofficially extend beyond that - the military has always been a powerful force in Lithuanian politics, and through that, the Hetman holds a lot of influence in lawmaking and government affairs.
Current holder: Jogaila Aukštaitis
As his surname implies, Aukštaitis hails from Aukštaitija, the region of ethnic Lithuania to the north of Vilnius. Much like the Grand Chancellor, the Hetman is in favor of continuing the war, though his wishes are not nearly as ambitious. He is an old guard and relies on 19th century tactics, directly opposite to his second-in-command, the Field Hetman Silvestras Žukauskas, developer of the "creeping barrage" and one of the most innovative army leaders in the conflict. The two men often get into conflict, as Žukauskas sees the war as unwinnable and Aukštaitis almost goes as far as to call that treasonous.
Grand Treasurer of Lithuania - Lietuvos didysis iždininkas
The Grand Treasurer is responsible for the finances of the Empire, something very important in this war. Cooperating with the Grand Marshal, they and their institution collect taxes and other profits and organize the budget for how to spend them. His second-in-command, the Court Treasurer, is responsible for the finances of the monarch's court and family.
Current holder: Martynas Yčas
Yčas was appointed at the beginning of the Great European War under Čepukas's order. A military man, he was brought to the Council of Lords to oversee the Empire's mobilization and military buildup, which he has successfully done. Thanks to him, Lithuania remains in top fighting shale despite over a year of conflict having already passed. However, Yčas neglects the civilian parts of the budget, and his service has been marked by major cuts in civilian domestic spending.
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary - Nepaprastasis pasiuntinys ir įgaliotasis ministras
The Minister Plenipotentiary is the highest diplomatic position in the Empire, responsible for the nation's ambassador and diplomat corps, accepting foreign emissaries in the Imperial Palaces, and, under extraordinary circumstances, serving as a diplomatic representative of the Emperor. It is the most recent position in the Council of Lords, and many are still complaining about it's inclusion.
Current holder: Jonas Valančiūnas
The only member of the current Council who is not of noble birth, Valančiūnas hails from the middle class and from Vilnius, although with a diplomatic background. So far, because of the stubborn warmongering of the Council, he has had little chance to be of service, as neither side in the war wishes to negotiate on peace terms. However, he personally sees the war as a hassle, and hopes to bring an end to it once the time is right.
- Augenis
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