"The Merseians treated him correctly if coolly." (CHAPTER ELEVEN, p. 267)
Thus, Flandry begins his experience not as a guest but as a prisoner of the Merseians. He is not bound and is checked by a doctor with experience of other species. He is given the opportunity to clean himself. His belongings are returned except for weapons. A small space on the warship is curtained off for him and his female companion. They are fed and the toilet facilities explained. They are guarded but not molested. After reading thus far, we look forward to some interesting exchanges between Flandry and his captors during the rest of the journey and after they have reached their destination. The Technic History shows the Merseians from nearly every angle although it does not include a scene with the Roidhun.
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I too regret how we never see any of the Roidhuns who reigned during Flandry's lifetime. A natural way of doing that would be when Lord Hauksberg formally presented his credentials to the then Roidhun in ENSIGN FLANDRY. Or Anderson could have shown the Protector Tachwyr the Dark conferring with his Roidhun in THE GAME OF EMPIRE.
Yes, the Protectors, prime ministers, held most of the actual day to day power, but it makes sense to think Roidhuns still had the right to be kept informed, and for the Protectors to regularly confer with them. As is the case in the UK with King Charles III and his prime ministers.
Merry Christmas! Sean
I think it was more on the order of the Japanese Emperors and their Shoguns. Travellers from Europe in Japan in the 16th and 17th centuries usually rendered "Shogun" as "King" and "Emperor" as "High Priest" or something of that order.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Understood. But, didn't these Shoguns at least go thru the motions of showing deference to the Emperors, including getting formal assent to their policies? Also, I've read of how the Shoguns were careful about building up family relationships with the Imperial house. E.g., Tokugawa daughters would marry Emperors or their heirs, and Imperial princesses would marry Shoguns or their heirs.
So it was more complex than what those European travelers thought.
Merry Christmas! Sean
Sean: yes, it was more complex, and Shoguns did marry their daughters into the Imperial house... but they also often forced Emperors to abdicate in favor of the (very young) children of those daughters, and did it repeatedly. And 'court nobles' often had to do things like sell their caligraphy to buy food.
Who had the actual political power was one of those things everyone knew but nobody actually mentioned in public -- very Japanese.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I agree, I have read of how many Emperors were forced to abdicate, child Emperors were much easier to control! And we get a glimpse of how court aristocrats were humiliated by military upstarts in the "Lady in Waiting" chapter of Anderson's THE BOAT OF A MILLION YEARS.
The Japanese do seem to have a passion for masks behind masks in politics!
Happy New Year! Sean
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