Earth monarch


 * This article is about the political position, you may be looking for the episode of the same name.

The Earth King is the King of Ba Sing Se and the ruler of the Earth Kingdom. Viewed as gods by their subjects, there were 52 Earth Kings until Ba Sing Se fell to the Fire Nation. The title is passed down to the eldest son. The Earth King's palace and seat of government reside in the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se.

Traditionally, the Earth King leaves behind all personal possessions upon ascending the throne, including his given name, and is henceforth known only as "your majesty" or through his reign number.

History


Earth Kingdom law states that the King of Ba Sing Se shall have power over the entire Earth Kingdom and shall be given the title as the Earth King. After unifying the Earth Kingdom through conquest, the Kings of Ba Sing Se consolidated their power into the walled city. Eventually the city came to be considered impenetrable, so much that the warlord Chin the Great, in his bid for control of the country, decided he would rather face the Avatar than the walled city. Though early Earth Kings controlled their lands personally, often using brutal means to crush rebellion, over time the monarchy became stagnant and corrupt, as kings ceded more and more power to the byzantine system of government and bureaucracy which sprang up around them, choosing to spend more time surrounded by courtesans and sycophants than taking interest in the affairs of state. By the time of the 52nd Earth King, the position had declined to that of a figurehead, allowing Long Feng to take control of the country. Many of the the Earth King's domains (such as Omashu) gradually slipped back into the positions of city-states over time, and paid little attention to the Earth King's few decrees, therefore creating a strong confederation with one military as the main political system. When the Fire Nation took the city, the position was abolished, sending the 52nd Earth King into exile and leaving Joo Dee as a puppet ruler with the title of "Supreme Bureaucratic Administrator of Ba Sing Se".

The Earth King traditionally made use of sixty-seven different seals, used depending on the occasion, season, and document in question.

The title of Earth King was likely restored after the Fire Nation lost the War, and it is likely that the Earth King will use the lessons of the past to rule more effectively.

Known Earth Kings

 * Yi Ming
 * 46th Earth King
 * 51st Earth King - Unknown ~ c. 1080 (~20YA)
 * 52nd Earth King - Kuei - c. 1080 (~20YA) -1101 (0YA)
 * Ozai, as Ruler of Ba Sing Se, and Joo Dee, as Supreme Bureaucratic Administrator - June 1101 (0YA) ~ 1101 (0YA)