Slavery in Minecraftia

Portrait of abolitionist philosopher Edmund Arouet

History and Origins

There are no strong historical records of the institution of slavery existing prior to the Third Era, although anecdotal evidence would suggest it happening on a small scale in colonies of the Kingdom of Helmsdeep during the Second Era. During the Third Era however, the High-Lords of the Province of Alcanzar, House Vinkhuys, whose capital Solleria was a former Helmsdeep colony, began to enslave the vast majority of their conquered peoples. When the Baron of House Stormwatch petitioned the White Gold Tower to end this mass enslavement, a vote was held in the Imperial Senate about the issue. House Vinkhuys, together with aristocratic slave owners and allegedly by using the organized crime network of the Mariposa family, who blackmailed senators into voting for the formal Empire wide system of slavery, managed to convince the Emperor and his Senate. So, in the middle of the Third Era, the Law for the Establishment and Maintenance of Slavery was formally passed through the Imperial Council, and signed by Emperor Henry II Viromaro.

With the signing of the Treaty of the King's Keep by Emperor Richard II Viromaro, the ability to buy and sell slaves to foreign powers was formally established as well.

Modern Day Slavery

During the Fourth Era, a violent slave revolt broke out in the Alcanzari colony of Aqumis, eventually causing those islands to secede from the Empire and forming the Free Republic of Aqumis. The success of this revolution caused an uproar in mainland Alcanzar, that overwhelmed the Alcanzari army, forcing High-Lord Javier Vinkhuys to call upon the White Gold Tower for aid. The young Emperor Charles II went out, together with a handful of battalions of the Imperial Legion. Although at first successful, a group of freed slaves managed to storm Fort Summerhal, located near Solleria, one night, where the Emperor was entertaining High-Lord Vinkhuys. Expecting themselves to be safe so far away from the main battlefields in southern Alcanzar, there were only a handful of imperial guards present at the small palace. During what came to be known as the Massacre at Summerhal, the Emperor and much of his staff were slain, whilst High-Lord Vinkhuys managed to escape, although wounded, by jumping through his bedroom window, into the Cape of Sol, and swimming back to Solleria.

This massacre, by failing to take out High-Lord Vinkhuys, allowed the Alcanzari army to maintain the battle lines, until the newly crowned Emperor Charles III Viromaro, together with his close friend and Grand Chancellor Edward Von Roterstein, who reinforced the Imperial Legion with numerous Ardoraghi armies, managed to destroy the last lines of resistance. The leaders of the slave rebellion were either captured or managed to flee to the Republic of Aqumis. The captured leaders of the rebellion were sent to Helmira, where they were publicly burned alive in front of the White-Gold Tower. Those who fought for the rebellion were sold back into slavery, or where possible returned to their masters.

Emperor Alexander Viromaro had a personal dislike of slavery, and he formally recognized the Republic of Aqumis, freed all slaves owned by House Viromaro and established the Rights of the Enslaved Act, which gave slaves within the Kythiran Empire the right to a fair trial, prohibited unnnecassary violence and ordered that they should be provided with adequate housing and healthcare. Furthermore, new slaves were no longer allowed to be captured, and newborns were automatically granted full citizenship as Kythirans. This act was destroyed two years later however, when the Emperor accidentally died whilst out hunting in Ardoragh.

His son, Emperor Louis Viromaro, repealed the Rights of the Enslaved Act, but maintained the recognition of the Republic of Aqumis, as they had welcomed Lotricans fleeing the Lotrican genocide.