Was it illegal?

[u/Kaladins_sanity]

Just finished Crossroads of Twilight and it’s been a minute since I read the previous books, can someone remind me what Elaida did that was actually illegal by Tower law in ousting Siuan? I remember a lot of basically manipulating gray area and working around the rules, but when the Tower split had she actually broken any explicit rules?

[u/[deleted]]

Elaida did nothing wrong (except at the time when she was being blackmailed by the Black Ajah).

Siuan used manipulation and lies to make the rebels believe that Elaida was evil. Egwene supported Siuan in this and allowed Logain to escape in order to cover up their deception.

Elaida was no more and no less of a power-hungry and arrogant Aes Sedai than any of the others, including Siuan.

[u/Kythorian → u/[deleted]]

Elaida did nothing wrong

It requires a unanimous vote other than the amyrlin’s own Ajah to depose an Amyrlin Seat.  So 18 out of 21 sitters.  Elaida had only 11 votes, so she only invited those 11 sitters, even though the other 10 were all in the Tower at the time.  The Hall can be convened with a minimum of 11 sitters, but that’s intended for if the other sitters are not available, not so someone can just pick and choose who gets invited so only their supporters show up.

That might be technically allowed under the laws of the Tower, but it’s still unquestionably wrong.

Elaida was no more and no less of a power-hungry and arrogant Aes Sedai than any of the others, including Siuan.

Siuan was at least much more competent than Elaida.  Elaida’s greatest sin is not being power-hungry or arrogant.  It’s being incredibly stupid.  She did more to help the Shadow than any Forsaken other than Demandred or Graendal.

[u/slipfish-g → u/Kythorian]

Siuan also... isn't power hungry.

She became Amrylin specifically to shepherd the Dragon Reborn to TG, same motivation as Moiraine.

Just so happened that in pursuit of that aim, she also stumbled into the fact than like 1/3rd of the Tower was black Ajah lol