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The three founding instruments
The constitutional order of Brendania rests on three instruments adopted on October 21, 2026: the Declaration of Independence, which proclaims the Empire and claims Bir Tawil as its sovereign territory; the Imperial Constitution, which establishes the state; and the Imperial Act of Ratification, which ratifies both, fixes the Emperor's style, and provides for hereditary succession.
The Crown and the Emperor
The Constitution vests the Crown in Brendan Smith I and places the Emperor at the apex of the constitutional order. The Emperor's capacities include:
- Head of State and Head of Government.
- Supreme executive authority.
- Legislative authority, exercised by Imperial Decree.
- Appointment of ministers, judges, and officials.
- Negotiation of treaties on behalf of the Empire.
- Command of any defence institution lawfully established.
- Custody of national honours.
- Promulgation of decrees and constitutional amendments.
The institutions of state
Beneath the Crown, the Constitution provides for institutions constituted by Imperial Decree:
- Imperial Council: Ministers of State administering defined portfolios under the Emperor's direction.
- Imperial Judiciary: courts exercising the adjudicative functions of the state, with judges appointed by the Crown.
- Imperial Assembly: a consultative assembly that advises without displacing the Crown's final legislative authority.
- Imperial Treasury: the institution of public finance, under a doctrine favouring lawful private enterprise, property, investment, and trade.
- Imperial Register: the record of state instruments, each dated, attributed, and preserved.
- Regency: exercised if the sovereign cannot exercise the office.
Citizenship
The Emperor is the founding citizen of Brendania. The Constitution empowers the Crown to make rules of citizenship and naturalization by decree; citizen rolls will open when those rules are promulgated.
Rights and the Act of Ratification
The Act of Ratification repealed the draft Rights of Citizens article, so the Constitution contains no separate Bill of Rights. The Empire's founding instruments state that this does not displace obligations under applicable law.
Amendment
The Constitution sets out its own procedure for amendment, with constitutional amendments promulgated by the Crown. Every amendment will be published as a dated instrument in the Imperial Register and recorded in the Imperial Chronicle.
Foreign relations
The Constitution places foreign relations in the hands of the Crown. The Empire's foreign policy is peaceful engagement; the Emperor has opened correspondence with Egypt and Sudan and is pursuing formal recognition of the Empire's sovereignty over Bir Tawil.
Frequently asked questions
How is Bir Tawil governed?
Under the Imperial Constitution of the Sovereign Empire of Brendania, which claims Bir Tawil: a hereditary imperial monarchy in which the Emperor, Brendan Smith I, holds executive and legislative authority.
What kind of government does Brendania have?
A hereditary imperial monarchy, with executive and legislative authority vested in the Crown.
Does Brendania have a parliament?
The Constitution provides for a consultative Imperial Assembly, which advises the Crown. Final legislative authority rests with the Emperor.
When was the Imperial Constitution adopted?
On October 21, 2026, together with the Declaration of Independence and the Imperial Act of Ratification.