Galactic Empire Legitimate Government
From Gineipaedia, the Legend of Galactic Heroes wiki
The Galactic Empire Legitimate Government (Japanese: 銀河帝国正統政府) was a government-in-exile formed on Heinessen in August 798 UC (489 IC / 3598 CE), after the Imperial Civil War, with the goal of opposing Reinhard von Lohengramm's rule in the Galactic Empire and restoring the power of the Goldenbaum Dynasty. It was led by Prime Minister Jochen von Remscheid, the former Imperial high commissioner on Fezzan, and also had the young Emperor Erwin Josef II as the source of their self-proclaimed legitimacy. Their regime consisted of many former Lippstadt League supporters and other aristocrats. The government's existence became the casus belli for Reinhard von Lohengramm to declare war on the Alliance and defeat it during Operation Ragnarök, at which point the exiled court was dissolved.
Contents |
History
The rise of the ambitious Imperial fleet admiral Reinhard von Lohengram resulted in a civil war that split the Empire between the reformist forces loyal to Lohengramm, and those wanting to preserve the power of the Goldenbaum Dynasty and old aristocracy, the high nobles of Lippstadt League. The conflict lasted from April to September 797 UC (488 IC / 3597 CE). Although the high nobles were defeated, a significant amount of Goldenbaum loyalists and highborn aristocrats remained, with many of them becoming emigres that fled to the Dominion of Fezzan or the Free Planets Alliance. The Fezzani Landesherr Adrian Rubinsky decided to use some of these for his plan to prevent the Empire and Alliance from making peace. He hired two former Lippstadt officers, Vice Admiral Count Alfred von Landsberg and Captain Leopold Schumacher, to kidnap the child kaiser Erwin Josef II and take him to the Free Planets Alliance, where a 'legitimate' government-in-exile could be formed by them and other Imperial emigres. The Fezzanis used their influence to ensure that the Alliance government accepted the exiles. Rubinsky wanted to keep the Alliance and the Empire from signing a peace treaty so that Fezzan could reap the benefits of their war, and this would give a reason for Lohengramm to attack the Alliance. (LOGH: 'The Lippstadt Conspiracy', 'Courage and Loyalty', 'Determination and Ambition')
As Reinhard began his internal reforms within the Empire, Landsberg and Schumacher entered the country with fake Fezzani passports and in July 798 UC (489 IC / 3598 CE) were successful in kidnapping the kaiser. Unbeknownst to them, the Imperial Military Police noted their arrival and Reinhard deduced their entire scheme, at which point Lohengramm made a deal with Nicholas Boltik, the Fezzani high commissioner on Odin, to use the situation to his advantage. The two kidnappers used a smuggler's ship provided by Boltik to move through the Fezzan Corridor into the Alliance, where they were joined by former Imperial high commissioner on Fezzan, Count Jochen von Remscheid. Remscheid was also convinced by the Fezzanis to take part in the scheme and became the government-in-exile's prime minister. Days later, in a special broadcast from Heinessen, Remscheid and Alliance Supreme Council Chairman Job Trunicht announced the "defection" of Emperor Erwin Josef and the creation of the Galactic Empire "Legitimate" Government — with the intent of overthrowing Lohengramm and reestablishing the Goldenbaum Dynasty. As predicted by Rubinsky and others, this was used as an excuse to declare war on the Alliance by Lohengramm, who by then was the prime minister of the Empire. Notably, the defected Lippstadt forces commander-in-chief High Admiral Wilibald Joachim von Merkatz, serving in the Yang Fleet at the time, was appointed war minister of the new government without being consulted. (LOGH: 'Lost Things', 'Determination and Ambition', 'The Abduction of the Young Emperor', 'The Arrow Is Released')
The exact composition and activities of the government-in-exile during its existence are mostly unknown. Commander Bernhard von Schneider at one point implied that the exiled court had dozens of members and its headquarters appeared to be busy in the time leading up to the Imperial invasion. Many, if not the majority, of its supporters were titled nobility. When Operation Ragnarök began in December 798 UC (489 IC / 3598 CE), the cabinet's members dwindled as it became apparent that their venture had failed and that the Empire was on the verge of conquering the Alliance. It continued to exist until May 799 UC (1 NIC / 490 IC / 3599 CE), when the Alliance was conquered by the Imperial Fleet. Most members of the government were arrested, except Remscheid, who committed suicide when surrounded by Imperial troops. Landsberg, Schumacher, and the former Emperor, Erwin Josef von Goldenbaum, went into hiding and managed to avoid capture for some time, while Merkatz was with Admiral Yang Wen-li and also evaded capture. (LOGH: 'Operation: Ragnarök', 'Long Live the Emperor!')
Members
Head of state: Emperor Erwin Josef II
Head of government: Prime Minister Jochen von Remscheid
Known cabinet ministers:
- Carnap (chief cabinet secretary)
- Willibald Joachim von Merkatz (minister of military affairs)
- Hosinger (minister of court affairs)
- Radbruch (minister of internal affairs)
Other notable supporters:
Military
As of January 799 UC (1 NIC / 490 IC / 3599 CE), the legitimate government's military (known as the "Imperial Legitimate Government Force") consisted of seven people in total, including Merkatz and Schneider, along with five enlisted personnel. Landsberg and Schumacher wore military uniforms (with the insignia of a vice admiral and a commodore, respectively, having received promotions), but it was unknown whether they were part of the government's military force or not, as they were also the Kaiser's caretakers. Merkatz was the war minister and the military's commander, being promoted to the rank of Fleet Admiral upon receiving the position. (LOGH: 'The Cold Spell Arrives', 'The Darkness Before Dawn')
When Merkatz first defected from the Empire, he brought with him a single battleship and its crew to Iserlohn, but these were never seen or mentioned again so it was unknown whether any of them were involved or what happened to them. (LOGH: 'Victory for Whose Sake?')
Appendices
Apocrypha
Novels
In the English translation of Legend of Galactic Heroes Volume 5: Wind and Clouds (which was titled Mobilization and released in 2017), it was mentioned that the exiled government signed a pact with the Alliance that pledged to establish a new constitutional order in the Galactic Empire, while still maintaining some of the nobility's privileges. (p. 22)
