(urth) Autarchs

[Andrew Mason]

Jeff Wilson wrote:
>
> On 9/26/2010 2:24 PM, Andrew Mason wrote:

>> One piece of evidence that the autarchy existed in some form before
>> Ymar arises in connection with the Antechamber; we are told that
>> before Ymar, all crimes committed around the House Absolute were
>> judged by the Autarch himself. I suppiose, though, that this might be
>> another case of the loose use of 'Autarch' to mean 'ruler'.
>
> In that case, what distinguishes autarchs from those rulers who are not?

As I understand it, what properly distinguishes an autarch is that he
rules himself: that is why Ymar and his successors chose that title.
However, most people probably don't know that; having lived under an
autarch for a thousand years, they think of that as the normal term
for a ruler. Both Jonas (as Roy mentioned) and Cyriaca refer to
ancient rulers as autarchs, before pointing out that strictly speaking
this is wrong.