Lord Ealdorman of Anecaster
| Lord Ealdorman of the Council of Anecaster | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Incumbent | |
 | |
|
Edwyn Eadywnson since 5 AR | |
| Details | |
| Heir apparent | - |
| First monarch | Edwyn Eadywnson |
| Formation | 5 AR |
| Residence | Aneforth, Anecaster |
The Lord Ealdorman of Anecaster is the title of the presiding lord of the Great Council of Anecaster, and in turn the Council of Anecaster. Established in 9 AR, the incumbent lord ealdorman is Edwyn of the House Eadywnson.
In Old Aletheia, the title of lord ealdorman was the chief advisor of the King of Aletheians and head of his great council. The title was formally revived by the Great Council of Anecaster in 5 AR following the Rebellion of the Two Cities for Earl Edwyn of House Eadywnson, who successfully led the Aletheians in crushing the rebellion native Urulian cities. Upon his return to Anecaster, Edwyn was proclaimed as lord ealderman by the Great Council, and was officially anointed as such by the High Sermoner of the Faith of Four.
In all accounts, the title of lord ealdorman is a largely ceremonial position. While the lord ealdorman is the presiding lord of the Great Council, and in turn the sovereign lord of the Council of Anecaster, title holder is seen as the first among equals in the Great Council. True authority within the Council of Anecaster is vested in the collective decisions of the great houses: House Eadywnson, House Redfield, and House Reever. Succession of the title of lord ealdorman has yet to be determined. Upon anointment, the Lord Ealdorman is also given the subsidiary title of "Steward of the Aletheian people".
History
Usage in Old Altheia
In Old Aletheia, the title of lord ealdorman was given to the chief and most trusted advisor of the Kings of Old Aletheia. The lord ealdorman, according to records that survived the Aletheian Migration, was head of a council of royal advisors, known as a great council, and was entrusted with leading the personal guard of the king. The title of lord ealdorman was reportedly either a hereditary position or was floated around members of certain houses for long periods of time. According to surviving records, the title fell out of use over a hundred years before the Aletheian Migration and the destruction of the Aletheian homeland, coinciding with the Period of a Hundred Kings.
Revival
The title of lord ealdorman was revived in 5 AR by the Great Council of Anecaster to bestow upon Earl Edwyn of House Eadywnson, who had soundly defeated Rollo of Leiftown and his army of native Urulians. Unlike its previous iterations, the revived title of lord ealdorman was created with the intention to serve as the ceremonial presiding lord of the Great Council, being the title of a first among equals rather than a paramount lord. Upon his return to Anecaster, Earl Edwyn was formally elected to the title and was anointed by the High Sermoner of the Faith of Four in a elaborate ceremony.
As Lord Ealdorman, Edwyn gradually expanded the powers, duties, and role of the lord ealdorman title, usually at the displeasure of the great council. In one of his first acts as lord ealdorman, Edwyn issued the Edict of Four, ordering the forced assimilation of the Urulian people into the Faith of Four and Aletheian culture. While his actions were supported by the council, they also caught the ire of neighboring Urulian kingdoms, virtually isolating the Council of Anecaster from foreign interaction. He became embroiled in a dispute with the great council after sending his brother, Lord Aedward Eadywnson, as an envoy to the kingdoms of the Lordstrom Lake without their consent. The dispute gave way to the Edict of Anesforth, in which the council willing granted Edwyn more executive power, in exchanged for greater autonomy.