Minbari - Government

Government

The Minbari Federation is the government of the Minbari worlds and colonies; it is based on Minbar, the ancestral home world. The Federation is an oligarchy ruled by the Grey Council. Although there is a capital city on Minbar, Yedor, the Grey Council usually meets on board a starship, the Grey Sharlin, also known as the Valen'tha or "Hand of Valen".

The Grey Council is made up of nine individuals, originally three each from the Minbari's three social classes, Warrior, Religious, and Worker. Delenn, a former member of the Grey Council, broke the council, in accordance with Valen's prophecy, in response to their refusal to act during a time of galactic crisis, stating "the problems of others are not our concern". Later, after a civil war among the Minbari, and Delenn enduring a pre-Grey Council Minbari ceremony to select a leader, known as the Starfire Wheel, Delenn established a new Grey Council that was now composed of two Warriors, two Religious, and five Workers. The position of leader was held vacant in memory of Neroon who had died in Delenn's place in the Starfire Wheel. This gave the long-overlooked Worker caste a majority voice. Members of the council are addressed by other Minbari with the honorific title "Satai".