New H'an Installed
October 4242
Bek Mrjkai Krlsrmko Suadjakai the 66 year old chieftain of the Suadjakai clan has installed H'an of Jelbania. He was elected H'an by the Great Kurultai following the death of the previous winner Zogu Zogsrmko Thaller. He chose to recognise his great-grandfather Manuel-Mrjkai a pretender from around 130 years ago as having been the legitimate H'an. The elder Suadjakai was proclaimed in opposition to the Jeztri tyrant Shlajkai IV. The new H'an's installation marks an end to the half-a-century long republic and monarchists all over the Khanate have rejoiced greatly. The very crowning itself was witnessed by half a million spectators who thronged to the Shrine of the First H'an and later on that of the First Hatun to celebrate the enthronement of his wife as Hatun.
Mrjkai II H'an
The new H'an is a longtime fixture in Jelbek national and local politics and is considered the leader of the traditionalists in the Khanate. He has resisted moves towards reforming the Jelbek government system which is a by-word for anarchy and disorder. The Khanate at 1.4 million sq.km is one of the largest countries in Terra and also one of the least densely populated. To add to that, its population consists of several tribes and clans and also an often explosive urban-rural divide (two thirds of Jelbeks remain wedded to the steppe ) All this has historically made it difficult to create an effective national government; indeed, this has only been realised briefly under charismatic strongmen and women such as Beki Mandkh and the Temrkai-Mede H'ans.
As it is, the H'an only has limited authority which falls heavily on national defence and foreign policy. Almost everything else is handled by the taghe (regional governments), the clans at various and maddeningly numerous levels. For instance in the Suadjakai territories, an average clansman will find himself under the authority of a "local yurt camp" Bek who has authority over a few dozen related families. Next will be a district wide Bek, then a regional one and finally the big man of the clan the Bek. All these have jealously guarded powers and responsibilities and have historically been willing to violently oppose any unwanted attempts at centralisation or the creation of a centralised bureaucracy. Some believe that the new H'an once aware of the realities that the lack of a strong government imposes on the Khanate, will try to tap into his credibility and authority with the clans to change this somehow.