The Emperor of the Race was the supreme ruler of the Empire. Some 50,000 Earth years ago, the Ssumaz dynasty[1] successfully unified the entirety of the Race's planet Home under a single ruler. The Ssumaz further oversaw the expansion the Race's empire to Halless 1, Rabotev 2, and part of Tosev 3.
The power of the emperor was nominally absolute, though he did rely on ministers and advisers. Moreover, the emperor's power necessarily devolved to the governors of its interstellar conquests. The reigning emperor was semi-divine in his life time, and deceased emperors were venerated as the Spirits of Emperors Past. Through use of a harem to regulate their bloodline, members of the Ssumaz family are the only members of the Race to know their own parentage.
The ships in the Conquest Fleet that subdued part of Tosev 3 were named after past Emperors.
Note on numerals[]
The Emperors are referred to by their regnal numbers followed by their names, in contrast to the Tosevite custom of putting the number after the name.
Known Emperors[]
- Rekrap-The 29th Emperor Rekrap's (d. 15th century BC) reign was concurrent with the Bronze Age of Tosev 3. During the first Tosevite visit to Home, Jonathan Yeager and Frank Coffey were impressed by the age a building in Sitneff, dated to Rekrap's reign; conversely, the Race regarded the building as new.[2]
- Fatuz-The 63rd Emperor Fatuz declared a Soldier's Time, c. 1419. In 1944, soldier Chook related this to Mutt Daniels and Herman Muldoon to help explain the concept of Soldier's Time. After his death, Fatuz was considered one of the Spirits of Emperors Past.[3]
- Fessoj-There had been at least 29 Emperors Fessoj by 1922.
- Hetto-There had been at least 127 Emperors Hetto as of the Conquest Fleet's departure from the Tau Ceti system on course for Tosev 3, in 1922 (all dates using the Tosevite Gregorian Calendar). The bannership of the Conquest Fleet was named in the honor of 127th Emperor Hetto.
- Jevon-There had been at least 29 Emperors Jevon by 1922.
- Jossano-There had been at least 56 Emperors Jossano by 1922.
- Makkakap-There had been at least 13 Emperors Makkakap by 1922.
- Osjess-There had been at least 16 Emperors Osjess by 1922.
- Poropss-There had been at least 13 Emperors Poropss by 1922.
- Rekrap-There had been 27 Emperors Rekrap by the 15th Century BC
- Risson-The 37th Emperor Risson reigned in 2031. He became the first Emperor in 100,000 of the Race's years to have to conduct a foreign policy beyond conquering aliens too low-tech to resist effectively.
- Sohrheb-There had been at least 67 Emperors Sohrheb by 1922.
- Yower-There had been at least 206 Emperors Yower by 1922.
References[]
- ↑ The name "Ssumaz" was used by Fleetlord Atvar in the very first scene of In the Balance (which inconsistently states that Atvar himself is a member), but was never used again throughout the series.
- ↑ Homeward Bound, p. 171, HC.
- ↑ Striking the Balance, p. 448, HC.
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