Avatar:Hou-Ting dynasty

<infobox theme-source="nation"> <image source="image" /> <title source="name"><default>Hou-Ting dynasty</default></title> <group> <header>General information</header> <label>Leader(s)</label> <label>Notable members</label> <label>Founder(s)</label> <label>Headquarters</label> <label>Affiliation</label> <label>Purpose</label> <label>Engagements</label> <label>Status</label> </group> <group> <header>Chronological information</header> <label>First appearance</label> <label>Last appearance</label> </group> <header></header> </infobox> The Hou-Ting dynasty is the current ruling family of Earth Monarchs in the Earth Kingdom. Though it has ruled the nation for centuries, the family suffered a decline in power of the monarchy of the Earth Kingdom. The present Earth King, Wu, intends to abolish the monarchy in favor of democratically elected leaders in each separate state.

History

The earliest known monarch of the Hou-Ting dynasty was the 46th Earth King. He attempted to centralize the monarchy, but used violence and oppression to achieve this goal, leading to a civil war and a peasant uprising in the process. Due to these events, and the intervention of Avatar Kyoshi, the Earth Kingdom was transformed into a constitutional monarchy to prevent future monarchs from abusing their power.

Earth King Jialun succeeded the heirs of the 46th Earth King, and was ruling during the youth of Avatar Roku. He sought to change the constitution for his own benefit. The Earth Sages sought to maintain the order imposed by Avatar Kyoshi, and spoke out against the king's actions, but they were purged for doing so. Under Jialun's reign, the Earth Kingdom government became extremely corrupt, and sought to undo any progress from the life of Avatar Kyoshi that had sought to uplift the poorest in society. However, as an extremely calculating man, Jialun manipulated everything from the appearance of weakness and incompetence, and was underestimated by many world leaders.

Jialun's heirs did not possess his same cunning, and the appearance of weakness eventually became true weakness. Over time, bureaucrats and local rulers used the new constitution to gather more and more power. In the process, the monarchy became stagnant and corrupt, as monarchs ceded or were forced to cede more and more control over the day-to-day operations to the governments and bureaucracy that sprang up around them.

Due to Earth King Kuei's premature ascendancy to the throne at the age of four, the position finally declined to that of a figurehead who lived a lavish lifestyle surrounded by courtesans and sycophants, allowing Grand Secretariat Long Feng, Kuei's regent and later advisor, to take control of the capital Ba Sing Se with the help of the Dai Li, the city's secret police who had become corrupt and betrayed the crown. The dynasty was briefly deposed when the Fire Nation Princess Azula usurped the throne in a violent coup. The rightful Earth King Kuei was forced into exile. When the Fire Nation took control over the city by Azula's order, the usurper left a Joo Dee as a puppet ruler with the title of "Supreme Bureaucratic Administrator of Ba Sing Se".

After the end of the century long war, Earth King Kuei was restored on his rightful place as the leader of the Earth Kingdom. As such, he played a very important role in the execution of the Harmony Restoration Movement in order to remove the Fire Nation presence in the Earth Kingdom by transferring the Fire Nation colonials back to the Fire Nation. Kuei also reformed the Earth Kingdom government back to its original form so the monarch had full power over the government.

Eventually, Kuei's daughter, Hou-Ting, succeeded her father as ruler of the Earth Kingdom and allowed the Dai Li back into the capital as a force working for her. During her reign, she spent large amounts of money on personal interests, making her somewhat unpopular with her people. However, Hou-Ting was killed by Zaheer in 171 AG and the throne remained vacant for three years. Prince Wu, Hou-Ting's great-nephew, was the next in line to succeed her, though due to the instability in the kingdom, he was forced to flee the nation and seek refuge in Republic City. He lived in the United Republic of Nations' capital for three years before being crowned the new Earth King in 174 AG. However, during his coronation, Kuvira denounced his authority and usurped power for herself, renaming the Earth Kingdom the "Earth Empire".

Wu became the target of kidnappings, but he managed to stay out of harm's way and grew into his role as a leader of the people. He slowly gained the trust and faith of the people by taking the lead on the evacuation of Republic City when Kuvira attacked, helping to keep the refugees safe. After Kuvira was defeated, however, Wu made plans to step down as king and abolish the monarchy in favor of independent states with elected governments, akin to the political system of the United Republic of Nations, a motion for which he received the support of Avatar Korra. By this time, a distant cousin of Wu, Shihan, had risen to dean of the Republic City University.

Family tree

46th Earth King

Descendants

Jialun

Descendants

51st Earth King

Kuei

Hou-Ting

Unknown

Descendants

Unknown

Wu

Shihan

Trivia

• The Hou-Ting dynasty is the second known family to rule the Earth Kingdom, after the Hao dynasty.

See also

• Earth Monarch
• Hao dynasty