The Magistracy of Canopus

The Magistracy of Canopus is an interstellar nation located in the Periphery. The Magistracy is a matriarchal society led by a Magestrix, an elected position open to any woman but largely controlled by House Centrella due to the family's popularity. Disparaged by some for promoting a hedonistic lifestyle, the Magistracy supports an open society and the personal freedom of all citizens and their right to live their lives as they see fit. As such, it is a popular destination for those fleeing persecution or looking to satisfy their discerning tastes.

History

The Magistracy of Canopus was founded in 2530 by Kossandra Centrella, a former Captain in the Free Worlds League Military. During a general withdrawal from battle against the Capellan Confederation her unit was left behind, and while Captain Centrella managed to save her unit from destruction and return to the Free Worlds League, she had become disillusioned with the incompetency of the FWLM and the patriarchal systems which dominated the Inner Sphere. Gathering like-minded people around her, she fled the Free Worlds and arrived in the Canopian star system in 2530, founding the Magistracy. By 2570, the Magistracy had grown to 36 star systems thanks to successful negotiations with dissident planetary rulers in the Free Worlds and Confederation.
Like the rest of the Periphery powers, the Magistracy was invaded in 2577 during the Reunification War by the newly-created Star League; while defeat was inevitable it was not as easy as the Star League hoped, with the war lasting twenty years and costing millions of lives. After the war, the realm was made whole and allowed limited home rule as a Territorial State in the Star League, and for the next century enjoyed a golden age of wealth and prosperity. This would continue until 2722, when additional taxation was levied on the Periphery states, with events coming to a head in 2765 when the Magistracy joined the other Periphery powers in the New Vandenberg Uprising, a rebellion which ultimately would lead to the Star League Civil War and the destruction of the League itself.
The resulting Succession Wars did not directly touch the Magistracy, but the realm felt the effects all the same: trade and tourism plummeted, to be replaced by refugees and pirates. There were occasional incursions into its territory, including a brief conflict with the Taurian Concordat in 2813 that ended inconclusively, but for the most part, the Magistracy stayed out of interstellar affairs. This may have changed with the internal struggles of the Aurigian Reach, one of the Magistracy's closest periphery neighbors, who partially serve as a buffer state between the Magistracy and the Taurian Concordat, where rumor persists they have taken some interest in restoring the Aurigian Coalition.

Politics

At its founding, the Magistracy allowed only women to participate in the government or hold any elected office. This restriction eased under Floral Centrella, who allowed men to participate in local and later planetary governments. Crystalla Centrella began to allow men into lower-level positions of the national government in 2570, and within a few years also opened up positions on the lower courts to male judges. It wasn't until after the Reunification War when Military Governor Humphreys instituted universal suffrage and opened all political and judicial positions to men (barring the Magestrix). After the governorship ended these reforms were maintained by future Canopian governments, ensuring equality for both women and men before the law. However, there has remained a strong cultural bias in favor of women holding positions of authority within Canopian society.
While freedom of expression is at the heart of the Canopian constitution, there exists some notable exceptions. Political parties, special interest and lobbying groups are expressly banned for their divisive nature. Additionally, there exists a strong wall of separation between church and state, with no official connection allowed between the government and any one religious or philosophical doctrine.

Government

The head of the Magistracy is the Magestrix, an elected autocrat who serves until death (or until they are deemed unfit to rule). It is a position technically open to any Canopian woman but has largely been filled by members of House Centrella. Originally imbued with sweeping powers, the position lost much of its authority during the period of military governorship after the Reunification War; most of these powers returned after self-rule was reinstated, but a number of important checks on this power was also created.
The Canopian Central Committee was formed by Governor Humphreys as a review board to ensure that any legislation passed by the Magestrix was compatible to the will of the Star League. When the Magestrix regained her authority, the Committee was reformed and its powers expanded. Each Canopian planet elects by popular vote one Committeewoman (or Committeeman) to serve on the Central Committee; originally each member's term of service was for five years, but this was later decreased to two. The Central Committee has the power to review legislation proposed by the Magestrix, and if they do not have a two-thirds majority approval, to veto them. The Committee can also pass legislation of its own, though this is subject to a veto by the Magestrix as well.
Serving an important if limited role in the government are the Canopian Electors. In the event the Magestrix dies or can no longer rule, it is the Electors who are responsible for nominating her replacement and putting her before a final vote in the Central Committee. If the Committee approves the Elector's nominee by a two-thirds majority, she becomes the new Magestrix; if not, the Electors are responsible for nominating a new woman, with the process continuing back and forth until a nominee attains the required number of votes. Each planet has two Electors who serve lifetime terms, and while a few have become hereditary most are decided by popular vote. Originally only aristocrats could be Electors, but after the reforms of 2840 any adult Canopian citizen could become an Elector.
Lastly is the Crimson Council, a governing body responsible for overseeing all aspects of Canopian nobility. Created in 2557 by Coranna Centrella, the Council assumed many of the powers once held by the Magestrix: creating new titles of nobility, assessing the privileges and responsibilities of nobles, and adjudicating in disputes between nobles. The six members of the Council serve at the pleasure of the Magestrix and have adopted robes trimmed in red-dyed ermine as an unofficial uniform.

Judiciary

Three different courts oversee the judicial process in Canopian society. The Provincial Courts oversee civil and criminal law at the planetary level, and any citizen may bring a case before them if they have at least one corroborating witness, while the Star Courts are concerned with matters of corporate and business law. Generally the decisions of the Courts are binding and enforced by Magistracy Field Officers, but an individual may appeal to the Courts of Appeal with the approval of the Central Committee. In keeping with the Canopian bias towards personal freedoms, the courts have a reputation for siding with individuals over businesses in disputes between the two. At the same time, the courts' traditionalist bent have also seen them favor aristocrats over the common people in such cases.

Citizenship

The Magistracy of Canopus prides itself on having an open and welcoming immigration policy: if any person can prove they are fleeing political, religious or social persecution, they and their descendants are given automatic citizenship. With this citizenship comes tremendous freedoms and protections: for example, they cannot be tried without due cause or extradited without the permission of the Magestrix, and they may own property and transfer it as they see fit. In return, citizens are expected to give back to support the "common defense" of the state. While military service would fulfill this obligation, it can be met any number of ways: service in the Medical Corps, donations in land, goods or money during times of war, or participation in the educational system such as teaching adult literacy classes. Additionally, all citizens are required to participate in every election, though on every ballot is the option "None of the Above" (in such cases where this options wins a majority, special run-off elections are typically held).

Military

The Magistracy Armed Forces have traditionally been seen as something of a necessary evil by the largely peaceful Magistracy. Funding has been limited through most of its history, punctuated by rapid increases during times of existential crisis (such as the Reunification War) which often come too late. As such, the Magistracy's military has historically been one of the smallest in the Periphery - as of 3025 four million women and men are on active duty in the MAF - with the small number of national troops frequently relying on local gendarmes and mercenaries to supplement them in battle.

Time period: 2530 - present
Classification: Periphery State

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Controlled systems: 42
Capital world: Canopus IV
Ruler title: Magestrix
Current Magestrix: Kyalla Centrella

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Military: Magistracy Armed Forces
Secret Service: Magistracy Intelligence Ministry