MINDLESS MUSINGS

You’ve connived your way to the head of the table in the village. You’ve annexed a bunch of smaller villages and tribes. Maybe even seized some big ones. You are now ruling an empire! Congratulations. You’re on easy street now…

I’m afraid I’ve got bad news sir.

Ever notice how throughout history occasionally, some kid ends up on the throne? Maybe his mother is in charge until he comes of age or some other arrangement. There must be a lot more going on behind the throne than we think. Power is a baffling entity, and I will not presume to understand it. What I do know is that it is fickle and can be fleeting. In many ways it seems to be an illusion.

While this means it is not tangible, make no mistake, it is real. Although, it’s not the crown and throne that bestows authority; it is the perceived power behind those symbols that commands compliance. The story of regal heritage and the collective consensus regarding its legitimacy perpetuate the myth.

Eventually the maintenance of this majestic supremacy becomes a small industry. An entire entourage dedicated to keeping the show on the road. All sorts of advisors and assistants; a treasurer/y, generals etc. They all have a lot of motivation to keep the status quo. A change in leadership could mean a reshuffle and that is unacceptable.

So, let’s say that an emperor dies and his only heir is a kid. If the kid is passed over the whole regal legend is open to interpretation. This may well result in that most unwelcome shake-up if any cunning conspirators play their cards right. The old guard must work fast to prevent any subversion.

That one kid could be the only thing standing between the former imperial court and oblivion. The very lucky ones might keep their position or at least get a lower spot in the court. Some will be sent packing to hang with the plebs. Some will disappear – be that exile or execution, depending on what kind of enemies you made during your career.

The concept that the king or queen rules absolutely is rarely a reality. Even a tyrannical despot needs people to rely on; maybe not trust, but you can’t do everything on your own. These empires are complex systems with way too many moving parts; and who is in charge of security? Who is literally watching your back?

There is no avoiding everyone’s dependence on others. Even the one at the top has to let their guard down. At the bare minimum they must eat, drink and sleep. It must be torture to a paranoid mind. For that matter it must be very difficult not to have a few major trust issues and the best double-crossers always make you believe they are friends.

It all seems so exciting in fiction, all the intrigue and power plays. What an absolute nightmare it would be to live through. All that power and wealth, but no true security. Living in a hornet’s nest constantly trying to keep ahead of the devious machinations of those around you. All this before you even begin dealing with all the outside threats. I know the peasants lived knee high in shit, but the grass aint necessarily greener in the tower.

The ruler may well have the power of life and death over their subjects, but one false move can bring the whole façade undone. Many a backstabber will try and fail. Many an iron hand king who ruled by fear has wound up being fed to the angry mob. As has a benevolent one too, sadly, I’m sure.

A lot of what the emperor does, seemingly of their own free will, is a forced move. Maybe it is to appease the populous, or someone who may hold a lot of sway with them. It may be a pre-emptive attack to thwart a suspected coup. Or it could be a purely defensive move to gain a little breathing space.

The fucked-up thing for me is the never knowing. You evaluate the situation, you make a move and you can never be sure if you made the right decision. You create enemies and corpses, and you will be forever ignorant if they were truly friend or foe.

These are just my assumptions or course, but a ruler who gets on the wrong side of his court and/or subjects better be fucken scary and have eyes in the back of their head. If not, he may well lose that head.

A lunatic or a fool may be tolerated by the powers that be for the same reason the child emperor is: they are easy to control. Start getting too big for your boots though and get ready for a rude surprise.

So yeah, empires hey? At first glance it’s easy to tell who’s in charge, but you never really know.