Galdelope

The Confederated Freeholds of Galdelope is a huge, socially progressive nation, notable for its punitive income tax rates. Its hard-nosed, cynical population of 663 million are ruled with an iron fist by the socialist government, which grants its people the freedom to do whatever they like so long as it doesn't involve getting richer than anybody else or challenging the government.

Geography and climate

Terrain

Climate

Fauna and flora

Culture and people

Population

Language

Customs and identity

Holidays

Religion

History

The Confederated Freeholds has existed in its current form since 683 FY. Prior to that, Galdelope was first a kingdom (founded 1 FY), then expanded into an empire (c. 470 FY). In the 660s, internal strife started a civil war in which most of the imperial authority was crushed by the noble houses and the territorial governments. After the war, the emperor proposed a power-sharing system which was accepted upon his abdication as emperor and king of Galdelope in 682 FY.

Pre-kingdom period

Kingdom of Galdelope

Galdelopan Empire

Early empire

Late empire

Civil war

Confederated Freeholds

Early confederation

Modern age

Government

The government of Galdelope is formed of a unicameral body with representitives from the Chartered Houses, known as the Council of Houses (or Council). These representatives are usually the heads of the Houses, although some appoint a proxy instead.

With one exception, the original Chartered Houses (known as the Founding Houses) are extinct via warfare or household aggregation. The original House Galdelope remains, and while the leader of that house is the traditional chair of the Council, the actual power is held within the various elected executive positions on the Council.

Chartered Houses

The Chartered Houses of Galdelope are individual patriarchies, granted recognition and allowed to govern on the decision of the Council, which has the power to grant or revoke charter status. Generally, new Chartered Houses are formed from distant branches of existing houses, or to promote powerful free houses to a governing position within the country. Originally, only the Founding Houses (the royal house and noble houses of the former Empire of Galdelope) had the ability to grant charters to the free houses. This changed when the number of surviving Founding Houses was at five. Currently only House Galdelope (the royal house of the Empire) remains of the Founding Houses.

Council of Houses

The Council of Houses serves as the legislative body of Galdelope. Members on the council elect members to an executive board, which acts as the executive branch, and appoint non-members to the Confederate Court (the highest judicial body in the nation).

The Council of Houses meets monthly or as needed, with each meeting hosted by one or another Chartered House. Because of this, there is no de jure capital of Galdelope, although a majority of permanent government offices are based in Tagga, the largest city in the nation.

The current members of the executive board are:

• The Serene Patriarch, Maximus Galdelope IV (House Galdelope) -- Chair
• ...

Economy

General information

Large contractors

Transportation and infrastructure

Commerce

Finance

Media

Television

Radio

Newspapers

Press agencies

Education

General information

Basic level

Intermediate level

Advanced level

Defence

Military service is required of all able-bodied men aged 16 to 50 who belong to a chartered house. Members of free houses are not required to serve, but often do in order to improve the position of their house over others. Each chartered house fields its own military force, which operate under a single general staff during war with other nations. The militaries are nominally lead by the patriarchs of the houses, who are given the honorary rank of Colonel-in-Chief over their respective houses, but actual field command is performed by professional, full-time soldiers.

Outside of wartime, the militaries of Galdelope are kept in a state of readiness. Every month, two houses are picked by lottery to fight mock battles with each other to improve prestige and ensure that their soldiers are able to fight wars on or off of Galdelopan soil. Every three years, prior to the election of executive positions on Council, all of the chartered houses engage in a mock general war for a period of two months.

The use of house militaries against each other in actual combat is rare but not unprecidented. Many of the Founding Houses and several Chartered Houses have been completely destroyed by another house looking for more power or avenging a family insult or offense. Such actions have mostly been replaced with ritual combat between patriarchs or their champions, however.

Foreign relations

Foreign relations

International Organisations