Confederacy of Rum - Governments Map (1408/17 AH)

PoD: 636 AD (14 AH)

Saad ibn Abi's failure to push into Persia marked a change in the strategy of the nascent Islamic empire. With a defeat at the Battle of Qadisayyah, the Persian Empire seemed to difficult to defeat at the time. Rather than pushing west, the Arabs refocused on their invasions of Egypt and Anatolia. Aided by Monophysitise christians living in Syria, the invaders seemed unstoppable, and Constantinople fell in 654. While the Romans would rise in rebellion during the First Muslim Civil War (657-660), they, like the Umayyad rebels, would be crushed by Ali ibn Abi Talib. 

With the consolidation of Anatolia, all of Europe would be open to Islamic incursion. It would take until 987 AD for the Frankish King of Paris to become tribute to the Caliph in Rome. While the Islamic Empire splintered between the Caliphs in Egypt and in Constantinople in 852 AD, and again between the Caliphs in Rome and Constantinople in 952, Islam was entrenched as the dominant faith of the Mediterranean.

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The confederal indepdence referendums would see 10 of the Confederacy's 26 provinces leave the union. For European confederalists, this was horrifying, but almost a relief. They could now breathe. While more than half of the fifteen independence referendums succeeded, the remainder of the confederacy was still intact. Yet, the crisis was not over. In Hispania,the new Sharia caliphates announced their intentions to register non-muslims and adopt traditional forms of Islamic law. In the north, the Christian majority secessionists began eyeing their muslims neighbors, with age-old resentment now fresh in their minds. The principalities and republics of Christendom also look on with predatory glee. With revanchist politics blossoming across Europe, with multicultural provinces being thrusted into the world as religious nation-states, it is doubtless that terror and war will soon come to Europe.

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Shura
Shura states are governed in accordance with the Islamic principle of consultation. Shura states are governed by councils elected from the populace, who enact legislation and elect a Caliph for their state. Most forms of Shura are based on Islamic law, as well as contributions of philosophers, but the exact principles vary from system to system. In general, Shura states respect private property as a nesecary and ordained institution, recognize the equality of all humans before the eyes of Allah and the state, and recognize a body of law that is equally applied to all members of the populace.

'Ilm Shura: 'Ilm, or "enlightened" shura is the official system of governance of the Confederacy of Rum, according to its Integral Law. 'Ilm shura recognizes the legal equality of all citizens of the confederacy, whether they be Muslim, Christian, Jewish or "undisclosed." All citizens of the Confederacy are eligible to vote for their provincial shura councils and the national shura council, which elects the Caliph of Rum.

Ijima Shura: Ijima, or "consensus" shura is an atraditional branch. Ijima shura recognizes the consensus of citizens as the governing body, and rejects the necessity for a Caliph. Ijima shura also has influences from Communism, and tends to hold that popular consensus can override property rights in certain circumstances.

Sharia Shura: Sharia shura is a traditionalist branch and holds a more legalistic view of Islamic law. The system holds that only muslims are to be consulted to form Shura councils. While people of the book are free to maintain their own councils and courts, they must ultimately be placed below Islamic law. Sharia shura states also tend to be unforgiving of atheists, heathens and apostates.

Christocratic Republic: A christocratic republic is a form of republic that is based on both integral law and the concept of good governance. A christocratic government holds itself to respect the natural rights and property of its citizens. The legislature for christocratic republics vary, but many hold councils inspired by Islamic systems.

Principalitarian
Principalitarianism is a christian form of government based on the notion of divine right. Principalitarian governments have a strong head of state that is either hereditary or elected by their peers. In either case, the prince is subservient only to God. Principalitarianism also rejects the concept of citizenship and natural rights, holding that all members of the populace are subject to their superiors.

Crowned Republic: A crowned republic is a form of principalitarianism that has an elected prince. Due to the nature of this system, most princes have their power restricted by tradition. Crowned republics often have a large electoral class for a principality, usually around 10% of the population. These states also usually have a writ of obligation that protects the rights of the lower class.

Imperium: An imperium is a hereditary principality, where the prince appoints their successor. While these states are in theory absolute, many imperiums hold a permanent consultative council that keeps the prince in check.

Tyranny: A tyranny is a state where the prince has seized power by public acclaim or by force. Tyrannies tend to have few legal rights or recourses for their subjects, and any consultative bodies are usually powerless.

Communism
Communism is a christian form of government based on the legacy of the first apostles, who kept their belongings in common. Communist governments deny the concept of private property rights, holding that they are an unchristian concept that breeds inequality and sin. Rather, communist republics are organized into communes that administer a community. These communes then elect delegates to a national senate.

Demi-Communal Republics: Demi-communal republics are communist states that do not engage in the communalization of all private property. In most demi-communal states, only land, natural resources and key industries are held in common, allowing homes, small businesses and personal belongings to remain in private hands.

Communal Republics: Communal republics hold truer to the communist ideal, communalizing almost all businesses and property.

Communal Tyranny: A communal tyranny is a state where the commune councils and national senate hold little to no power, with real power being held by a governing tyrant.