Release from the Charter

The Release from the Charter of Tribute and Writ of Permanence, more commonly the Release from the Charter (: Liberación de la Carta), is a formal document that officially ended the Kingdom of Ventora's with Haksarad. The document is unique in that most tributary states simply stopped paying tribute in order to end that relationship. Ventora, however, wanted to maintain strong trade ties and continue its long-standing association with Haksarad while also ensuring its independence. The document also fulfills a formality with regard to the legal status of the Ventoran state. Haksar Emperor yyy signed the Release from the Charter on May 12, 1740 in his, Jaliyah.

Because the document was countersigned by the 26 dukes, it is a component of the Fundamental Law of Ventora, the country's body of. As a result, the Release from the Charter is a rare example of a bilateral international agreement having constitutional implications for one of the parties.

Background
Haksarad had exerted influence in southwest Alutra since before the common era. Early s in present-day Ventora established tributary relationships with Haksarad for trade purposes. As the city-states evolved into larger domains, Haksar traditions gave rise to the nobility in southwest Alutra leading to the formation of counties and then duchies. The tributary system simply transferred to the successor polities.

The waning of Haksar prestige from the 250s resulted in a break in the tributary system. When it returned toward the middle of the millennium, the southern duchies had joined either the Coastal or Montañan Confederations. These confederations became tributes for trade purposes, leaving the duchies virtually autonomous. In 958, Emperor xxx issued the Charter of Tribute which allowed the formation of a Ventoran kingdom under Haksar tribute. The dukes accepted the Charter by signing the Concords of Plenas. The Charter established the Kingdom of Ventora as a self-governing permanent tribute to Haksarad.

By the 18th century, Ventora had developed good trade relations with a number of other countries which led to a strong economy. At the same time, the prestige of Haksarad's monarch had fallen to a point where many Ventoran nobles felt the tributary relationship was no longer beneficial. Legal advisors to Queen Ámbar of Ventora raised concerns about simply ending the tributary status since the Charter was the basis for the formation of the kingdom. This led to negotiations with Haksarad for the release from tribute with recognition of the kingdom. Emperor xxx was initially reluctant, but his waning influence outside Jaliyah gave the Ventorans some advantage in negotiations. Nonetheless, Ventora agreed to release Esharat from tributary status and Haksarad's emperor also extracted some honorary provisions in exchange for his signature.

On May 26, 1740, all 26 dukes countersigned the Release in a ceremony at the City Palace in Plenas, Ventora. This ratification gave the document a constitutional legal basis in the country.

Provisions
The Release from the Charter is relatively short and contains three main provisions. 1. Released the Kingdom of Ventora from its status as a tribute of Haksarad

2. Recognized the Kingdom of Ventora as a free, independent, and sovereign kingdom1. Affirmed the Kingdom's establishment on August 17, 959 with the signing of the Concords of Plenas

2. Affirmed the continuation and legitimacy of the Ventoran nobility in its own right

3. Allowed for the continuation of trade and other associations between Haksarad and Ventora despite discontinuance of tributary payments in exchange for appointment of a permanent Ventoran envoy to Haksarad

Effects
The obvious effect was the end of Ventora's tributary status. More significantly, the second provision provided the legal foundations for the Kingdom of Ventora and establishing its continual existence in law since its original founding. Since it had acted autonomously from the beginning, the Release from the Charter did not appreciably change how Ventora carried out its affairs, either domestically or internationally. The document did, however, guarantee the legitimacy of the kingdom by ensuring it had a clearly established basis in law. For this reason, the Release from the Charter is a critical document to Ventorans who mark the anniversary of its signing on May 12th as Independence Day.

With the third provision, the Release from the Charter granted Ventora continued access to trade with Haksarad without having to pay tribute. A separate codicil committed Ventora to commissioning a trade representative to serve as envoy to the Haksar emperor. Queen Ámbar commissioned Efraín Marcial Villar Quesada, Duke of Sala, as Trade Commissioner in recognition of his efforts to secure the Haksar monarch's signature on the Release from the Charter. Although there had been previous Trade Commissioners appointed for specific purposes from time to time, Villar marked the first in a continuous line of commissioners. The current Ventoran Trade Commission traces its lineage to Villar's commission.

From the Haksar perspective, the Ventoran queen showed a measure of respect to the Emperor in a time when few others were doing so. Queen Ámbar had ceremoniously requested release from tributary status rather than simply cease paying tribute. The appointment of a special envoy to the Emperor was also viewed favorably. These measures were not enough to prevent the Warlord Period in Haksarad, however.