Amarr - Jamyl Sarum, the resurgent heir to the Sarum royal family, was today crowned Empress of the Amarr Empire. In a ceremony that began with her arrival amidst a huge assembly of Imperial Navy warships, interim Court Chamberlain Hemirin placed the sacred crown upon Her Majesty, declaring her the "Holy Ordained Empress of Creation".
Delivering a powerful opening speech, Empress Jamyl boldly announced the start of a new Reclaiming, calling on all those of faith to "stand by her side" as the Empire recovered from "the excesses of a misguided path". Seemingly mindful of those questioning the merit of her rule, she ended her address with a forceful demand for loyalty, possibly directed at the remaining heirs, with a vow to return "what others give to the Empire [ sic ]".
If there were any doubts about the legitimacy of her ascension, no such sentiment was present among the thousands of Holders and clergy present for the historic occasion. The spectacular coronation was held within the massive vaulted chambers of St. Kuria the Prophet Cathedral in Amarr, which has also witnessed the mourning of Emperor Heideran; the coronation and funeral of Emperor Doriam II; and the proxy rule of Chamberlain Dochuta Karsoth, who is believed to have fled during the Minmatar Elder's invasion of Amarr earlier this year.
Despite official claims to the contrary, the Imperial Navy appears to have brought a significant portion of its vaunted Imperial Domain Fleet to the coronation. This unprecedented maneuver was part of a series of massive security precautions that included the complete shutdown of the Amarr System for the coronation, forbidding all access to travelers except for those receiving a direct invitation from the Court Chamberlain.
Speculation remains that the coronation's earlier delay was due to the epic logistical challenge of recalling the Domain Fleet from deployment elsewhere in the Empire without exposing the flanks of the remaining Imperial fleets operating close to low-sec borders, which would be considered a risky tactic even during peacetime. The Ministry of War has forbidden new agencies from delivering any footage of the actual event until a later date.
As to be expected, the Empress received a cool welcome from the governments of both the Gallente Federation and Caldari State, with emissaries passing along well-wishes to be followed by formal addresses from chiefs of state later on. However, a spokesperson for the Minmatar Republic outright decried her decree of reclaiming as a "blatant insult and a disappointing start for the so-called 'empress'."
Empress Jamyl remains hugely popular with the general population of Amarr and the Imperial Navy to a degree that borders on deific. Long believed dead, her sudden "resurrection" was received with predictable skepticism among the orthodox practitioners of the Amarr faith, versus enthusiastic approval with the Reformist movement in the Empire. However, the circumstances surrounding her timely arrival during the legendary Battle of Mekhios remain unclear, especially as to how she was able to repel or otherwise inspire the Imperial Navy to counter such a large Minmatar attack force.