Emperors On The Empire: The Sources

What do the Terran Emperors themselves tell us about their Empire? Or, indeed, do any of them say anything particularly illuminating on this subject?

Our sources are:

Manuel Argos in conversation with John Henry Reeves:

Poul Anderson, "The Star Plunderer" IN Anderson, Rise Of The Terran Empire (Riverdale, NY, March 2011), pp. 325-362 AT pp. 354-360.

Hans Molitor in conversation with Dominic Flandry:

Poul Anderson, A Knight Of Ghosts And Shadows IN Anderson, Sir Dominic Flandry: The Last Knight Of Terra (Riverdale, NY, December 2010), pp. 239-426 AT III, pp. 266-271.

Gerhart Molitor in conversation with Grand Duke Edwin Cairncross:

Poul Anderson, A Stone In Heaven IN Anderson, Flandry's Legacy (Riverdale, NY, June 2012), pp. 1-188 AT V, pp. 49-55.

Also, Crown Prince Josip, not yet Emperor, converses with Lord Markus Hauksberg in:

Poul Anderson, Ensign Flandry IN Anderson, Young Flandry (Riverdale, NY, January 2010) AT CHAPTER ONE, p. 9.

We will find out.