State rightsin EoC

How much internal autonomy do the provinces have in the empire?

Does the empire emphasie federal control or local autonomy?

The phrase used in Midst Toil and Tribulation is "Membership in the Empire of Charis -- not as an occupied territory, but as an integral unit, with internal autonomy under the constitution which governs the existing Empire."

The above is from the conversation between Sharleyan, Irys, Daivyn and Earl Coris regarding the possible return to Corisande of Irys, Daivyn and Earl Coris along with Daivyn taking his father's throne.

Considering that Corisandian law (not Charisian law) still governs who is Daivyn's heir, I'd say "internal autonomy under the constitution" covers a wide area.

Since IIRC serfdom was abolished in Corisande after Charis conquered it, I suspect that the limits of "internal autonomy" relate to "civil rights of subjects".

IE people in Corisande will have the same rights that people in Old Charis, Chisholm, Emerald and Tarot have.

Alistair wrote:How much internal autonomy do the provinces have in the empire?

Does the empire emphasie federal control or local autonomy?

My understanding is that the individual member states had a fairly large degree of autonomy. However their laws did have to comply with Imperial laws, and they were changed accordingly, like the abolition of serfdom.

I've been wondering what kind of gun ownership laws/rights the EOC has for its citizens. I know RFC has commented on gun rights in the Honorverse, but has he said anything about Safehold? This also leads to questions about other rights, like voting and citizenship.

cadastral wrote:I've been wondering what kind of gun ownership laws/rights the EOC has for its citizens. I know RFC has commented on gun rights in the Honorverse, but has he said anything about Safehold? This also leads to questions about other rights, like voting and citizenship.

He has not commented about gun control/rights but he has said that given that charis has just left feudal society franchise is currently restricted to landed middle class and higher.

Post war that Will change I think

Look under power of throne in "pearl s" for some details on the political situation

There was a mention of limits on "police" actions toward suspects in OAR. While the strongest limits are when an Old Charisian noble is suspected, there are limits when an Old Charisian commoner is suspected.

We do know that Old Charisians have a right to protest Crown actions as Cayleb was concerned was concerned about treatment of "Temple Loyalists" in Old Charis.

Because of the fact that many Charisian Monarchs were members of the Inner Circle, I suspect that "Freedom of Speech" and "Freedom of the Press" is strong in Old Charis.

Handgun ownership is an iffy matter mostly because until recently handguns were rare, expensive and not that reliable.

Remember that Merlin introduced flint-locks and I don't think many match-lock handguns were produced. The "wheel-lock" handguns were likely produced but would be expensive.

Alistair wrote:

cadastral wrote:I've been wondering what kind of gun ownership laws/rights the EOC has for its citizens. I know RFC has commented on gun rights in the Honorverse, but has he said anything about Safehold? This also leads to questions about other rights, like voting and citizenship.

He has not commented about gun control/rights but he has said that given that charis has just left feudal society franchise is currently restricted to landed middle class and higher.

Post war that Will change I think

DrakBibliophile wrote:Remember that Merlin introduced flint-locks and I don't think many match-lock handguns were produced. The "wheel-lock" handguns were likely produced but would be expensive.

Safehold never invented the wheel lock. To my knowledge Merlin introduced the concept of a pistol entirely. I would have to re-skim Off Armageddon Reef to be certain. As such I imagine private ownership of fire arms was restricted to the fairly wealthy. One of the Glaciarheart miners comments on how ruinously expensive a "lowlands firearm" was, to the point none of them could even dream of affording one. Rifles had existed but they were only used by hunting enthusiasts.


Charachters in the book comment on the fact that the Harchong serfs are restricted from owning any sort of ranged weapon more advanced then a sling. Purely for public safety of course. One couldn't have all those "assault weapons" floating around causing mass murders. That would seem to indicate that most places are open about the possession of firearms, something that does fit with RFC's personal morals.

Just think how the "Battle Of The Library" in OAR would have played if the Duke's guards had handguns. [Wink]

It would have been an "OMG" moment if Merlin took a shot between the eyes and kept on fighting.

Direwolf18 wrote:

DrakBibliophile wrote:Remember that Merlin introduced flint-locks and I don't think many match-lock handguns were produced. The "wheel-lock" handguns were likely produced but would be expensive.

Safehold never invented the wheel lock. To my knowledge Merlin introduced the concept of a pistol entirely. I would have to re-skim Off Armageddon Reef to be certain. As such I imagine private ownership of fire arms was restricted to the fairly wealthy. One of the Glaciarheart miners comments on how ruinously expensive a "lowlands firearm" was, to the point none of them could even dream of affording one. Rifles had existed but they were only used by hunting enthusiasts.


Charachters in the book comment on the fact that the Harchong serfs are restricted from owning any sort of ranged weapon more advanced then a sling. Purely for public safety of course. One couldn't have all those "assault weapons" floating around causing mass murders. That would seem to indicate that most places are open about the possession of firearms, something that does fit with RFC's personal morals.

There's no mention of "handguns" in OAR and the only mention of pistol is of a "stun pistol" (which obviously wasn't made on Safehold).

The first mention of pistols in BSRA are of the flint-lock pistols that were given to Admiral Rock Point. There the comment was made that prior to the development of the flint-lock such weapons (ie handguns) would have been impractical at best. While it doesn't rule out "matchlock pistols", it does seem to make them less likely to have existed.

Curiosity on my part, was it "word of Weber" that wheel-locks were never invented on Safehold?

I don't remember any comment about wheel-locks.

Direwolf18 wrote:

DrakBibliophile wrote:Remember that Merlin introduced flint-locks and I don't think many match-lock handguns were produced. The "wheel-lock" handguns were likely produced but would be expensive.

Safehold never invented the wheel lock. To my knowledge Merlin introduced the concept of a pistol entirely. I would have to re-skim Off Armageddon Reef to be certain. As such I imagine private ownership of fire arms was restricted to the fairly wealthy. One of the Glaciarheart miners comments on how ruinously expensive a "lowlands firearm" was, to the point none of them could even dream of affording one. Rifles had existed but they were only used by hunting enthusiasts.


Charachters in the book comment on the fact that the Harchong serfs are restricted from owning any sort of ranged weapon more advanced then a sling. Purely for public safety of course. One couldn't have all those "assault weapons" floating around causing mass murders. That would seem to indicate that most places are open about the possession of firearms, something that does fit with RFC's personal morals.