Coronation

The most powerful priesthood in a given land will probably have the right to crown kings when they ascend the throne. The DM has to decide whether this is merely an honor bestowed on the priesthood, or whether it is a right which the priesthood can use to influence the throne.

If it's the former, then the chief priest is accorded the right to officiate at the coronation ceremony. However, if the priest refused to officiate, the crowning will take place anyway; the king can choose another priesthood for the honor, or he can be crowned without the priesthood's sanction.

If it's the latter, then the priesthood can deny someone the right to take the throne by refusing to crown him. This is a very powerful right, and through it the priesthood can exert considerable influence on the nation.

That's not to say that, by refusing to crown a certain candidate, the priesthood can stage a bloodless coup and choose the king.

Let's assume a priesthood does such a thing and refuses the chief candidate for the throne, then spreads the word they will support a certain other candidate.

The refused candidate may decide to mount a war against the priesthood. The new candidate, if crowned, may find that none of the other nobles in the nation support his kingship. All of this can result in a bloody civil war which could tear the nation apart and wreck the priesthood's power.

Therefore, when the priesthood decides to exercise this power, it does tend to make compromises, to negotiate secretly with the parties involved, to plan things carefully so that trouble is kept to a minimum. Only the most arrogant of priesthoods would try to take for itself the full right to choose the king . . . and such priesthoods are likely to lead their nation into war or chaos.

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