Constitutional amendments approved in referendum
A referendum held yesterday saw proposed amendments to the Austenasian Constitution of 2011 approved by the Empire’s electorate. Out of the 54 subjects eligible to vote, 37 did so, a turnout of 68.52%. The amendments had been divided into four parts, each of which could be voted on separately. The first part establishes a Senate as a body responsible for the accountability of the Monarch which may in extreme circumstances vote to depose them. It also removes the requirement for Cabinet ministers to be Representatives. This part of the amendments passed with 81.08% of votes in support. The second part of the amendments makes it a requirement for the Monarch to be a baptised Christian, and explicitly claims that Austenasia is a continuation of the Roman Empire; this part passed with 70.27% of votes in support. The third part of the amendments clarifies that marriage in the Empire is between one man and one woman, and also permits Parliament to expand upon various human rights laws in the Constitution which until now were unable to be repealed and put into more detail. This part passed with 64.86% of votes in support. The fourth and final part of the amendments changes the office of Deputy Prime Minister from being the runner-up in a general election to being a Representative nominated by a newly elected Prime Minister. This part passed with 81.08% of votes in support. Now that the amendments have been approved by referendum, they must be approved by Parliament. A requirement of over 80% of Representatives to be in favour of any constitutional amendments means that if more than one of Austenasia’s seven Representatives opposes the changes, they will not be able to be passed. Upon approval, these amendments will come into force cumulatively as the Second Amendment to the Constitution at one second past midnight in the morning of Imperial Ascension Day, 20 January, the fifth anniversary of the Emperor’s ascension to the Throne.
Princess Consort Hannah named Augusta
Emperor Jonathan I has granted the rank of Augusta to his fiancée Princess Consort Hannah in celebration of one year since they entered into a romantic relationship. The new Augusta – who is also the sovereign Princess of Wildflower Meadows – entered into a romantic relationship with the Emperor on 5 November 2015, and the two became engaged to be married on 5 September earlier this year. Princess Hannah now has the style Her Imperial and Serene Highness, and ranks second only to Jonathan I in the Empire in terms of precedence. The title of Augusta is the highest-ranking that the Monarch can bestow. In the classical and medieval Roman Empires, it was given to wives and family members of the Emperors. Only two others have been made Augustae by Austenasian Emperors: the late Dame Bette, former Emperor Mother of Terry I, and Countess Eritoshi, Prime Minister from 2013 to 2015 who relinquished the rank upon her resignation from national politics.
Change made to Imperial style
The official style of the Austenasian Monarch has been altered by Emperor Jonathan I. Three of the titles in his official full style (which can be seen here, and is used only for formal ceremonial or diplomatic occasions) – “Emperor of Austenasia”, “Romanorum Imperator”, and “Basileus kai Autokrator Rhomaion” – have been merged into one: “Austenasian Emperor and Autocrat of the Romans”. The idea that the Emperor of Austenasia is in some sense an heir or successor to the Roman Emperors was first officially taken up by Emperor Esmond III in March 2010, since which the Empire has adopted more and more Roman attributes (e.g. the names of military officers and units, a system of consuls, etc.). However, Austenasia first began to explicitly emulate Rome as early as November 2009, when the Imperial Diadem was modified to include pendilia (dangling chains emblematic of medieval Roman crowns). A prefix, “by the Grace of Christ our God faithful”, has also been added to the Emperor’s style, adopted from the imperial style used by the late Eastern Roman Emperors. Jonathan I stated that this change was made to reflect his personal faith, with the changes to his style being made five years to the day that he joined the Orthodox Church. The (ordinary) style of the Emperor now, then, is His Imperial Majesty Imperator Caesar Jonathan Augustus, by the Grace of Christ our God faithful Austenasian Emperor and Autocrat of the Romans. The use of “our” in this style indicates the Emperor personally speaking (albeit in the majestic plural), not the implication that Christianity is in any way an official national religion of the Empire.
Emperor adopts Imperial Cipher
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Jonathan I has adopted an Imperial Cipher for use as a personal emblem or seal where the Imperial Standard is inappropriate. The cipher consists of a double-headed eagle, holding a sword and a globus cruciger, and bearing the letters “J I I” – “Jonathan I Imperator”. When used in heraldry or as a flag, the cipher will have a background of imperial purple. It is planned for the cipher to mainly be used as a seal to authenticate papers. The cipher is based on that of the late medieval Roman emperors of the Palaialogos dynasty. Jonathan I is not the first Austenasian emperor to adopt an imperial cipher; Declan I did so in June 2012, and Esmond III used one in an unofficial capacity from August 2010 onwards.
National motto amended
In an Imperial Edict passed earlier today, Emperor Jonathan I made an amendment to the national motto of the Empire. Since July 2011, the national motto of Austenasia had been “Imperator et Populum Austenasiae” (Emperor and People of Austenasia), based on the emblematic “S.P.Q.R.” of the Roman Empire. However, it recently became known that the phrase was grammatically incorrect. “Populum” should instead have been “Populus”, and was changed to such earlier today. This change will require a new depiction of the national coat of arms to be published, on which the motto is displayed.
Codex Jonathanus enters into force
What has been described as “one of the most extensive pieces of legislation” in the history of small nations was adopted today as the long awaited Austenasian civil code came into force. Known as the Codex Jonathanus, the civil code is an amended version of the Codex Justinianus, an extremely influential codification of Roman law ordered by Emperor Justinian I in the early 6th century. Laws related to archaic issues such as slavery have been removed, and some dealing with local matters amended to refer to Representatives, Town Councils and the like, but for the most part this civil code consists of genuine Roman laws passed between 146 and 532 AD. The code, which is comprised of over five hundred laws, covers matters including contract and family law, debts, marriage, property, and the justice system. It will be used mostly by magistrates when deciding on how to settle disputes. The Codex Jonathanus – meaning Code of Jonathan – was compiled by the Emperor, who started work on the massive project at the start of May last year, making use of an English translation of the Codex Justinianus. The adoption of the code was authorised by Parliament last week. The Codex Justinianus, of which this code is effectively an abridged version, served as the civil code of the Roman Empire from 534 until 892, and has been described as one of the foundations of the western legal tradition. The adoption of the Codex Jonathanus, as well as having great practical benefits, has also strengthened the Roman inheritance of Austenasia. A printed copy of the Codex has been stored in the Imperial Residence, and copies will be available upon request to be sent to any Representatives, judges, or magistrates. The Codex Jonathanus can be read online here.
560th anniversary of the Fall of Constantinople commemmorated
The Emperor has asked that Austenasians today commemmorate the 560th anniversary of the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, which marked the end of the Roman Empire and, in the opinion of many historians, of the medieval period. The Austenasian Star is flying vertically from the Imperial Residence today as a sign of respect – this is the customary equivalent to flying it half mast, as it lacks a flagpole. The Emperor has also uploaded a video to YouTube which can be seen here, a recording of a chant lamenting the fall of the city, with a more detailed account of the event in the video’s description. Constantinople was founded as the eastern capital of the Roman Empire in 330 by Constantine I, with the eastern half of the empire (known as the “Byzantine Empire” by later western European historians but still referred to as the “Empire of the Romans” by its citizens and neighbours) surviving the fall of the west in the 470s for almost a thousand years. The Eastern Roman Empire flourished during the Early Middle Ages but entered terminal decline after 1204 when Constantinople was temporarily taken by western crusaders. By 1400, the mighty Eastern Roman Empire had declined to the extent that it consisted of little more than Constantinople itself and a few Greek islands. In 1453, the Ottoman (Turkish) Sultan Mehmed II led an attack on Constantinople. Although heavily outnumbered (7,000:80,000) and facing vastly superior technology, the Romans held out for over a month before the city fell on 29 May. The last Roman Emperor, Constantine XI, threw off his purple regalia and died leading the last remnants of the Roman army in a final charge against the Ottomans after they breached the walls.