The Free Duchies are a confederation of autonomous and loosely unified free cities with a holding of land around them, with each independent city referred to as a duchy. The various duchies of the Confederation are unified politically, economically, judicially, and militarily through the national government, which is led by a Grand Duke as its head of state and head of government. The Grand Duke appoints the members of the government on the advice of the Grand Council, which, in turn, elects the Grand Duke from among its own members every ten years. Together, the Grand Duke, the government, and the Grand Council make up the composite national government of the Free Duchies, which negotiates for the country as a whole in Tevarian and other international affairs. This system of government wa