Empowered by the Crown and the Parliament, what was once the City Council, was reformed by King Philip II into the College of Rosewood.
The College exists as a way for the Mayor of Rosewood to be elected or removed from office. Its history is one born from tyranny. Back in 1109, the City Council was established by the lesser lords of Rosewood, those who rule its surroundings, in a response to Mayor Dominic Linbeck’s tyrannical encroachment into local politics. The Lord Mayor sought to expand his influence by eliminating dissident vassals, and as such dragged Rosewood into a war. In order to remove him from office, try him for his crimes, and to prevent something like this from happening again, the Lords of Rosewood gathered and established the City Council which was summoned when it was time to elect a new Mayor. Up until 1160, it operated normally but was disbanded by Emperor Charles I. It was reinstated in 1181 by King Philip II, and given a new set of laws to abide by.
Currently, the College of Rosewood meets in the halls of the Mayorly Palace upon a Mayor’s death or removal to elect a new Mayor of Rosewood. The College has 12 seats reserved for the lesser lords of Rosewood; they represent their respective lands, those being: Frey, Hornnet, Priorton, Anderton, Riche, Maye, Verva, Ibby, Charleston, Springvale, Philanset, and Hwetbask. For a Mayor to be elected, they must be from a prominent family from Rosewood. The voting process occurs in such a way that there are multiple rounds of votes until only two candidates remain, then the final vote is cast. If, at any point, there is a tie or a consensus of some sort cannot be reached, the King of France will be called to offer guidance. Once a Mayor is chosen, they are accepted by the Parliament and instated immediately.
Just as they can elect, the College has the power to overthrow a tyrannical Mayor. If all electors vote unanimously against the Mayor, then the City Watch will arrest them and the Lord Mayor of Rosewood will be tried for treason before a new Mayor is Elected. This power has never been evoked since the Council’s founding in 1109, and remains a testament to the usefulness of the College, in that it offers representation to the lesser lords of Rosewood, in what is arguably the most important center of the Kingdom, and likely one of the most important cities in the world.
