Difference between revisions of "First Lord of the Star League"
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The '''First Lord of the Star League''' was the head of state of the [[Star League]], who had full both political and military authority. 
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The '''First Lord of the Star League''' was the title for the head of state of the [[Star League]] in all of its incarnations, and by extension the entire [[Inner Sphere]].
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The First Lord during the first Star League had full authority to authorize any venture, whether military or political, that he wished. This is most telling in the case of the [[Reunification War]], when First Lord Cameron authorized the conquest of the [[Periphery]] nations back into the Star League's authority. The Star Lord also was the traditional commander-in-chief of the [[Star League Defense Force]] (SLDF), which acted as a military police force to prevent any outbreaks of conflict amongst what would later become the [[Successor States]].  
 
  
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During the first Star League this position was inherited inside the Cameron family until the childless [[Richard Cameron]] was assassinated by [[Stefan Amaris]] who also managed to wipe out all known members of the Cameron family. The SLDF, under the command of [[Aleksandr Kerensky]], managed to defeat Amaris's forces in the ''Amaris-Kerensky Civil War'' and executed him and his family in retaliation. 
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==First Star League==
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The First Lord had numerous powers that made them "first among equals" compared to the leaders of the other Great Houses, among which three were considered the most important.  First was the ability to call on the [[Star League Defense Force]]; though war could not technically be declared without the [[Star League#High Council|High Council]]'s approval, loopholes within the Accords (and the soldiers' willingness) allowed the First Lord to essentially give any order for "defensive" purposes.  Second was the ability to shut down any exchange or mint, or any company dealing in inter-realm trade, at will.  Third was the ability to withhold advanced [[Terran Hegemony]] technology from the other realms, a ploy often used in exchange for certain favors.<ref name=SLp99>''The Star League'', p. 99</ref>
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Amaris' actions lead to a succession crisis. The powerful House Lords, which were the logical candidates being the most powerful individuals of the Inner Sphere, were simply unable to agree among themselves and each of them claimed the title for himself. This led to the [[Succession Wars]].
 
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==second Star League== 
 
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The position of First Lord was resurrected during the '''second Star League'''. The Inner Sphere was being invaded by the [[Clans]] and the resurrection of the Star League and of a First Lord was intended as an unifying political gesture.   
 
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The First Lord would be chosen by the Head's of state of the Inner Sphere from among themselves. [[Comstar]] would vote only in the case of a tie. Each term of First Lord was for 3 years and there was no possibility of being re-elected until all the other Head's of state had held the position.
 
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The position of First Lord had little real power during the Second Star League. The second Star League was little more than a paper-tiger, which lacked its own military forces. Furthermore the First Lord was largely powerless to prevent member-nations from leaving.
 
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There were only three persons that held the position of First Lord.
 
  
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*The ''First Whitting Conference'' on [[Tharkad]] in [[3058]] saw the resurrection of the Star League and the election of [[Sun-Tzu Liao]] of the [[Capellan Confederation]] as First Lord. He largely misused his position and powers to reconquer lost territory and ordered "peacekeepers" into the [[Sarna March]] and into the [[St. Ives Compact]].  
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The First Lord however was not the Commander-in-Chief of the SLDF; that role was filled by the [[Commanding General of the Star League Defense Force|Commanding General]], who was nominated by the First Lord but required approval from the other Council Lords.<ref name=SLp112>''The Star League'', p. 112</ref>
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*The ''Second Whitting Conference'' was held on Tharkad in [[3061]]. The result of the election was a tie between [[Katherine Steiner-Davion]] and [[Theodore Kurita]] of the [[Draconis Combine]]. Faced with a tie ComStar was called upon to cast the deciding vote. However [[Anastasius Focht]] refused and resigned, upon which his chosen replacement [[Victor Steiner-Davion]] cast his vote for Theodore Kurita against his sister.  
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During the first Star League the position of First Lord was a hereditary position held by [[House Cameron]]. However, [[Stefan Amaris]] was able to gain the confidence of the last First Lord, [[Richard Cameron]], and in a dastardly plot killed him and wiped out the entire extended Cameron family. After his defeat in the [[Amaris Civil War]] and the [[Operation Exodus|exodus]] of the SLDF, none of the other Council Lords could agree on who should assume the position of First Lord. This led directly to the [[Succession Wars (History)|Succession Wars]].
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*The ''Third Whitting Conference'' was held on [[Marik]] in [[3064]] and saw the provisional membership of the [[Word of Blake]] and the [[Taurian Concordat]]. Christian Mansdottir of the [[Free Rasalhague Republic]] was elected as First Lord.  
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Although each of the [[Great Houses|House Lords]] claimed the title during the Succession Wars, none of them ever held it in reality as they were unable to subdue or compel their rivals into submitting to them as a new First Lord.  
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With the dissolve of the second Star League the position of First Lord once again became void.
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{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! scope="col" width="175" style="background: #dedede;" | Name
 +
! scope="col" width="150" style="background: #dedede;" | Reign
 +
|-
 +
| colspan="3" style="background: #efefef;" | '''First Lord of the Star League, 2571 - 2766'''
 +
|-
 +
| [[Ian Cameron]]||[[2571]] - [[2602]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Nicholas Cameron]]||2602 - [[2649]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Michael Cameron II]]||2649 - [[2690]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Jonathan Cameron]]||2690 - [[2738]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Simon Cameron]]||2738 - [[2751]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Richard Cameron II|Richard Cameron]]||2751 - [[2766]]
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==Second Star League==
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The position of First Lord was resurrected with the creation of the [[Second Star League]]. Faced with the continued threat of invasion by the [[Clans]], the various powers of the Inner Sphere banded together to recreate the old alliance and present a united front to the Clan menace.  Rather than a hereditary position, the First Lord would be chosen at a triennial [[Whitting Conference]], either by lot or by a vote of two-thirds of the Council Lords, and that no one who had already served as First Lord could do so again until all others had already done so.<ref name=GC18>''Grave Covenant'', ch. 18</ref>  Afterwards, the Constitution was amended prior to the [[Second Whitting Conference]] so that a simple majority vote of the Council could choose the next First Lord, with the [[ComStar]] representative casting the deciding vote in case of a tie.<ref name=PoH24>''Prince of Havoc'', ch. 24</ref>
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By design, the First Lord of the new Star League was a largely ceremonial role with very little power.<ref name=GC18/>  The First Lord did have the right to choose the [[Commanding General of the Star League Defense Force|Commanding General]] of the [[Second Star League Defense Force]], which could only be overturned by a two-thirds vote of the Council, and could deploy a limited number of [[Second Star League Defense Force|SLDF]] troops without needing the Council's authorization.<ref name=FM:Cp75>''Field Manual: ComStar'', p. 75</ref>
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The position came to an end at the [[Fourth Whitting Conference]] when the [[Capellan Confederation]], [[Lyran Alliance]], and [[Federated Suns]] all signaled their intention to leave the second Star League. First Lord [[Christian Månsdottir]] saw no solution but to call a vote of no-confidence, hoping the measure would be defeated and that this show of unity would persuade the dissenting members to change their minds. However the measure was passed, formally dissolving the second Star League and with it the position of First Lord once again became void.
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 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! scope="col" width="175" style="background: #dedede;" | Name
 +
! scope="col" width="150" style="background: #dedede;" | Reign
 +
|-
 +
| colspan="3" style="background: #efefef;" | '''First Lord of the Second Star League, 3058 - 3067'''
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|-
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| [[Sun-Tzu Liao]]||[[3058]] - [[3061]]
 +
|-
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| [[Theodore Kurita (31st c.)|Theodore Kurita]]||3061 - [[3064]]
 +
|-
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| [[Christian Månsdottir]]||3064 - [[3067]]
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|}
 +
 
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==Star League (3151–)==
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The position of the First Lord of the Star League was recreated during the aftermath of the [[ilClan Trial]]. After Clan Wolf became the ilClan of the reborn Star League, [[Alaric Ward]] would also claim the mantles of ilKhan and First Lord of the Star League, using Clan Wolf as the nucleus of being the ilClan.<ref>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 41</ref>
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{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! scope="col" width="175" style="background: #dedede;" | Name
 +
! scope="col" width="150" style="background: #dedede;" | Reign
 +
|-
 +
| colspan="3" style="background: #efefef;" | '''First Lord of the Star League, 3151–'''
 +
|-
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| [[Alaric Ward]]||[[3151]] - present
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|-
 +
|}
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==References==
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<references />
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==Bibliography==
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* ''[[Field Manual: ComStar]]''
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* ''[[Grave Covenant]]'' (novel)
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* ''[[Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1]]''
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* ''[[Hour of the Wolf]]'' (novel)
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* ''[[Prince of Havoc]]'' (novel)
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* ''[[The Star League]]''
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[[Category:Noble Titles and Awards]]

Latest revision as of 05:15, 4 December 2023

The First Lord of the Star League was the title for the head of state of the Star League in all of its incarnations, and by extension the entire Inner Sphere.

First Star League[edit]

The First Lord had numerous powers that made them "first among equals" compared to the leaders of the other Great Houses, among which three were considered the most important. First was the ability to call on the Star League Defense Force; though war could not technically be declared without the High Council's approval, loopholes within the Accords (and the soldiers' willingness) allowed the First Lord to essentially give any order for "defensive" purposes. Second was the ability to shut down any exchange or mint, or any company dealing in inter-realm trade, at will. Third was the ability to withhold advanced Terran Hegemony technology from the other realms, a ploy often used in exchange for certain favors.[1]

The First Lord however was not the Commander-in-Chief of the SLDF; that role was filled by the Commanding General, who was nominated by the First Lord but required approval from the other Council Lords.[2]

During the first Star League the position of First Lord was a hereditary position held by House Cameron. However, Stefan Amaris was able to gain the confidence of the last First Lord, Richard Cameron, and in a dastardly plot killed him and wiped out the entire extended Cameron family. After his defeat in the Amaris Civil War and the exodus of the SLDF, none of the other Council Lords could agree on who should assume the position of First Lord. This led directly to the Succession Wars.

Although each of the House Lords claimed the title during the Succession Wars, none of them ever held it in reality as they were unable to subdue or compel their rivals into submitting to them as a new First Lord.

Name Reign
First Lord of the Star League, 2571 - 2766
Ian Cameron 2571 - 2602
Nicholas Cameron 2602 - 2649
Michael Cameron II 2649 - 2690
Jonathan Cameron 2690 - 2738
Simon Cameron 2738 - 2751
Richard Cameron 2751 - 2766

Second Star League[edit]

The position of First Lord was resurrected with the creation of the Second Star League. Faced with the continued threat of invasion by the Clans, the various powers of the Inner Sphere banded together to recreate the old alliance and present a united front to the Clan menace. Rather than a hereditary position, the First Lord would be chosen at a triennial Whitting Conference, either by lot or by a vote of two-thirds of the Council Lords, and that no one who had already served as First Lord could do so again until all others had already done so.[3] Afterwards, the Constitution was amended prior to the Second Whitting Conference so that a simple majority vote of the Council could choose the next First Lord, with the ComStar representative casting the deciding vote in case of a tie.[4]

By design, the First Lord of the new Star League was a largely ceremonial role with very little power.[3] The First Lord did have the right to choose the Commanding General of the Second Star League Defense Force, which could only be overturned by a two-thirds vote of the Council, and could deploy a limited number of SLDF troops without needing the Council's authorization.[5]

The position came to an end at the Fourth Whitting Conference when the Capellan Confederation, Lyran Alliance, and Federated Suns all signaled their intention to leave the second Star League. First Lord Christian Månsdottir saw no solution but to call a vote of no-confidence, hoping the measure would be defeated and that this show of unity would persuade the dissenting members to change their minds. However the measure was passed, formally dissolving the second Star League and with it the position of First Lord once again became void.

Name Reign
First Lord of the Second Star League, 3058 - 3067
Sun-Tzu Liao 3058 - 3061
Theodore Kurita 3061 - 3064
Christian Månsdottir 3064 - 3067

Star League (3151–)[edit]

The position of the First Lord of the Star League was recreated during the aftermath of the ilClan Trial. After Clan Wolf became the ilClan of the reborn Star League, Alaric Ward would also claim the mantles of ilKhan and First Lord of the Star League, using Clan Wolf as the nucleus of being the ilClan.[6]

Name Reign
First Lord of the Star League, 3151–
Alaric Ward 3151 - present

References[edit]

  1. ↑ The Star League, p. 99
  2. ↑ The Star League, p. 112
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Grave Covenant, ch. 18
  4. ↑ Prince of Havoc, ch. 24
  5. ↑ Field Manual: ComStar, p. 75
  6. ↑ Hour of the Wolf, p. 41

Bibliography[edit]

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