A brief summary of politics

That last bit was more military than political, so here's the layman's breakdown of the politics of the Empire:

The Emperor

His word is law, but the rumors are that he's just a puppet of the Chuch of Sigmar. The current Emperor is Karl Franz, Prince of Reikland.

The Castellans

Reikland, Middenland, Norland, Ostland, Talabecland, Wissenland, Averland, Stirland - all are the Old Provinces of the Empire, and proclaimed by Sigmar to be its beating heart. Thus, each is given jurisdiction over a part of the greater Empire, so that they might bring their culture and discipline to the other peoples of the world. The political rulers of these Provinces are known as the Lord Castellans, or more commonly, Counts, and each holds a seat on the Emperor's council. They also, in the circumstance that the Emperor dies without an heir, assist the Church in selecting a new Emperor.

Castellans of Note

Reikland - Karl Franz, the Emperor

By tradition, the Emperor is the political ruler of Reikland. However, in practice, the day-to-day rule of the province itself is conducted by the Grand Theogonist, while the rule of Estalia and the parts of Araby which fall in Reikland's sphere of influence is managed by the Emperor's steward. Karl Franz's steward is an intense, intelligent, and stern Estalian, Franco i Montanger.

Middenland - Ar-Ulric Rutger der Heilege

The Castellan of Middenland is traditionally, and currently, the Ar-Ulric of the Church of Ulric, a faith given leave to operate more or less without scrutiny due to the historic ties between Sigmar and Ulric. The current Ar-Ulric is a man named Rutger der Heilege. It's commonly known that he is somewhat displeased that his Ranger-General, Gottlieb Sturm, is not the best warrior in the land.

His political domain is Brettonia. While not as difficult as keeping, say, Estalia in line, Brettonia has a strong, respected cultural history, so it is important that the people there visibly take to the Reiklander Way. In recent years, the resurgence of Brettonian nationalist sentiment is reportedly of great concern amongst the Imperial Court, and it is likely that Rutger's influence has suffered as a result.

Norland - Goethe von Wisachs

They call Goethe von Wisachs a savage, but then again, they call all Norlanders savages. In actual fact, he is a composed, well-educated man. Balancing the militant, savage history of his lands and the careful cultivation of political power is no mean feat, but von Wisachs manages it well.

He honors the traditional Norland ties with Middenland, and keeps a second home within the neighboring province. He encourages his nobles to follow his example.

Von Wisachs is still very much rooted in his lands, however. From the Langeshalle he warily watches the Norscans, who may not be allied against the Empire, but still raid his coastline nonetheless. It is disquieting to him that his military is led by Leif Hrothgar, as von Wisachs is not at all convinced of the man's loyalty to the Empire. It is said that he has standing agreements with his nobles to levy local, loyal forces in the case of a Norscan insurrection.

Ostland - Otto Mikhael

Otto Mikhael is a large, blustery man with a large birthmark on his head. Not much more is said of him. Ostland's responsibilities include only slices of Kislev and Norsca, but most importantly, to be the first defense against Chaos should it return.

Otto Mikhael is not a military man; that responsibility falls to his Ranger-General, Leon Hartnack the Tower of the North. Otto instead steels his people against more insidious means of invasion. It is rumored that he has empowered a group of elite witch hunters to be his eyes and ears among his people, and that not even the meanest drop of corruption goes unnoticed.

Talabecland - Shadach Rul

Shadach Rul, one of the most imposing politicians the Empire has seen: he stands well over six and a half feet, with long, raven-dark hair. The Rul house has ruled Talabecland for centuries, and the rumors say that it has strong ties to Old Taal, decried as a heretical cult by the Church of Sigmar.

Talabecland remains somewhat isolated in its position; it has no duties other than its own governance. By all accounts, Shadach Rul governs his realm justly and wisely. His commonfolk often journey to his humble palace in the crater-city of Talabheim for justice, which he dispenses for an hour daily.

The Ostermark - Wolfram Helfrig

The only Castellan in the Empire who also holds the title of Ranger-General, Wolfram Helfrig constantly girds his people for war. Though the threat of Chaos is nearly 2 millenia distant, the Ostermark borders Kislev, and is an important buffer against the people there, not to mention another Chaos invasion.

However, this is often forgotten by other citizens of the Empire; to them, the Mark is simply a backwater farming province, and their leader is accorded such status only because the lands are unimportant.

Wissenland - Emmanuelle von Liebewitz

Emmanuelle von Liebewitz is considered one of the most cunning and ruthless politicians in the Empire. It is said that without her iron will pushing the matter, the war with Araby would have continued for generations more. It is no surprise she opposed the war; with Araby and the southernmost ports of the border princes under her jurisdiction, in peacetime the incomes of Wissenland surpass all others. This strength is supplemented by the strong ties Wissenland holds to Nuln; the great city is officially a protectorate of Wissenland.

Perhaps that is why, in order to check her power in peacetime, her husband, Sir Johann von Liebewitz, Ranger-General of Wissenland, slain in the final assault on Copher, has not been replaced by another of the von Liebewitz family. Instead, the feared Salud-al-Din, general of the Sultan's armies, is now the Warden of Wissenland.

Rumors say that Emmanuelle is scheming desperately to prepare for the arrival of her new general, whom she sees as a pawn of the Sultan and no doubt hostile.

Averland - Marius Leitdorf

Having only recently come into his position after the untimely death of his wife, the Castellan Countess Marlene, Marius has little influence and much suspicion upon him.

Hochland - Aldebrand Lufenhof

Hochland is considered to be a dangerous backwater, with few citizens to manage. As its lands are essentially covered by forest, it is a source of timber and skins, but beyond that has no strategic importance.

Aldebrand Lufenhof disdains politics, prefering to lead the Hochland Waldmiliz in hunting and exterminating the forest vermin that seem to plague his lands.

The Ranger-Generals, the Wardens

Each Old Province also has an army to defend it; were the Heart to fall, mankind would certainly be doomed. These armies are also responsible for the Outer Empire, and roam about it so that they may ensure Sigmar's peace to the subjects of the Emperor. They are headed by the Ranger-Generals, which means that for every Old Province their is a Ranger-General. The office of Ranger-General is not neccesarily held by a native of his ward province, however - Salud-al-Din, the famed Arabian General is rumored to have been named Ranger-General as part of the submission of Araby.

The Ranger-Generals are often known as the Wardens, and are often under political pressure to bend their armed might to a particular cause. Whether the Ranger-General bends or not is a reflection of the current Emperor more than anything - a Ranger-General is appointed by the Emperor, and generally holds the position until he dies or resigns, though it is in the Emperor's power to strip a Ranger-General of his rank and title, though to do so essentially trusts the Ranger-General not to mutiny.

Current Ranger-Generals of note

Gottlieb Sturm

Returning to Altdorf from a recent tour to put down rebellion in Brettonia and Estalia, considered to be a stern man and brilliant strategist.

Leif Hrothgar

A savage Norscan warrior named Warden of Nordland as a political move to keep the volatile Norscan tribes in check.

Jensohn Steinmauer

The stalwart Warden of Talabecland, considered the most powerful knight in the realm, which certainly angers the Church of Ulric; they see the Warden of Middenland to be their champion of sorts, and while Gottlieb Sturm is certainly an accomplished warrior, he was defeated in a tourney long ago by Steinmauer.

Steinmauer is lithe and thin, with black hair, like much of the Province of Talabecland. His coat of arms is a stag's head over a golden hammer on a green field; were he not from Talabecland, this would inspire some amount of debate among followers of heraldry.

Hanz Bachstien

The Warden of Stirland is a fat, aging man known as Heinz Bachstein, though most call him 'der Grosse' in honor of his size. He has not been sent on a ranging in some time, as it is widely considered that he won his appointment due to pressure from his brother, Holz Bachstein, Lord Castellan of Stirland.

Karl Franz

By custom, the Warden of the Reik is the Emperor himself, though Karl Franz has named his son Helmar as Warden in his stead. It is widely assumed that Helmar will be Emperor when Karl Franz dies, though Franz has yet to name him heir. It is also whispered that some in the Church of Sigmar call him Heldenhammer, and anticipate that he will lead the Empire to glory.

Salud-al-Din

The fearsome general of the armies of the Sultan's united Araby, it is widely rumored that the Saracen was granted the title of Ranger-General of Wissenland as part of the peace terms with Araby.

The more disturbing rumors say that he makes his pilgrimage to Altdorf not by sea, but by land, which would take him through the Badlands. It certainly has been some time since the end of hostilities with Araby...

The Mayors

The mayors of the larger city-states, such as Marienburg, or Nuln, have much clout, in that it is they who set local policy with regards to taxation - with money the only real source of power in much of the Empire, this is a formidible force indeed. However, they must tread carefully, as many an overzealous mayor has been replaced by Imperial decree; those deposed generally are not heard from again.

The Nobles

Most positions of powers are still hereditary in much of the Empire; Noble landowners still have much influence.

The Merchants

The rise of money's importance in politics and general life has given rise to a new class of wealthy merchants, who lobby relentlessly for rules and laws in their favor, or who wish to otherwise parlay their wealth into power. Originally a social fixture of Tilea, the idea of the baseborn but wealthy competing with the highborn for power soon found purchase throughout the Empire. While the laws of the Empire clearly favor those with land and bloodlines (as the most important offices in the Empire can only be held by someone of the nobility), that merely means that the most powerful of merchants must work through others.

The People

The Emperor is ever-cautious of sparking rebellion; the Church of Sigmar's heavy-handed discipline may be neccesary to prevent Chaos from sowing its seeds, but that means that the Emperor and the government must be seen as sympathetic to the people. The Emperor is well aware of those nobles and politicians who have great influence with the people, and attempts to keep them under observation. Additionally, the Emperor seeks out examples of corruption and abuse of power, and punishes them publicly, so that the people may see that those who trample their rights cannot do so without fear of retribution. Sigmar's ideal of humanity was of a stern, disciplined, but fair people; the first two traits are from the Church's teaching, the Imperial Law must exhibit the third.

However, the Imperial Law can only reach as far as the Emperor's agents. Some small towns go decades between visits from the Roadwardens or Ranger-Generals, and corruption can easily take root. Full-scale insurrection is even occasionally seen, as with the recent conflict against the 'Bandit King' of L'Anguille.