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Lore:Second Empire

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Second Empire
ON-banner-Imperial.png
1E 2703 – 2E 430
Capital Imperial City
Location Tamriel, except Morrowind
Common languages Cyrodilic
Religions Eight Divines
Government Absolute monarchy
Preceded By Succeeded By
Akaviri Potentate

The Second Empire, also known as the Cyrodilic Empire,[1] the Reman Empire,[2] Reman's Imperium,[3] the Empire of Cyrodiil,[4] and the Second Empire of Men,[1] was a human-led empire that, at its height, controlled every region of Tamriel with the exception of Morrowind.[1] The history of the Second Empire is divided into two main periods: the reign of the Reman Dynasty that witnessed the final centuries of the First Era, and the subsequent Akaviri Potentate that ushered in the Second Era.

Reman DynastyEdit

The Reman Dynasty was founded by Reman Cyrodiil after he defeated the Akaviri invasion of Tamriel at the battle of Pale Pass in 1E 2703. Until that point, Tamriel had been divided into several small kingdoms, but once Reman had brought the armies of Colovia and the Nibenay Valley together to defeat the invasion, he was able to unite all of Tamriel's human inhabitants in the face of possible aggression from the Altmer.[1]

The Battle of Pale Pass established Reman as the leading power in Tamriel, but many parts of the continent refused to acknowledge his rule. Valenwood was not subdued until 1E 2714.[5] In 1E 2811,[6] Cyrodilic forces under Reman II began the long process of conquering Argonia in the Blackwater War, which ended in 1E 2837[7] with Argonia admitted to the Empire as a province under the name "Black Marsh".[8]

In 1E 2840 the Empire invaded Morrowind, the only province outside of Imperial control, in what would become called the Four-Score War. It was during the war in 1E 2843 that Emperor Reman II would be killed fighting the Dunmer.[9][10] Reman II would be succeeded by Brazollus Dor.[11] Progress was slow, and the three living gods of Morrowind's Tribunal, Vivec, Almalexia, and Sotha Sil proved to be extremely capable leaders. By 1E 2920, both sides were approaching exhaustion after the Empire captured the fortress of Ald Marak, and thus the two sides agreed to a truce to bring an end to the war.[12]

Shortly after the Cervant Truce Crown Prince Juilek and Emperor Reman III were assassinated,[13] on the orders of Potentate Versidue-Shaie, bringing an end to the Reman Dynasty and instigating the period of the Second Empire known as the Akaviri Potentate.[12]

Akaviri PotentateEdit

The Akaviri Potentate, also called the Akaviri Empire, is the name given to the period of the Second Empire after the assassination of Reman III and the end of the Reman Dynasty. Additionally, it is the title given to the rulers of Tamriel both during this period and during the earlier years of the empire.

Under the Remans, the emperor's chief advisor was called the Potentate. In the battle of Pale Pass, Reman I decisively defeated an Akaviri invasion but other events forced him to offer the defeated army amnesty in return for their service in his own army. This led to Akaviri influence in other spheres of life, and over time the position of Potentate was usually filled by one of the snake people.

In the year 1E 2920, the Potentate Versidue-Shaie plotted to overthrow the empire. He assassinated Emperor Reman III shortly after the death of Crown Prince Juilek, and declared Reman's line to be extinct. On 22 Evening Star 2920 Versidue-Shaie declared that he was taking over the leadership of the empire but retaining his title of Potentate. In the same speech, he declared the end of the First Era and the start of the Second.

In order to suppress armies remaining loyal to the Remans, as well as the armies belonging to individual kingdoms seeking greater autonomy, Versidue-Shaie was forced to engage in a relentless series of campaigns that, by the year 2E 283, finally resulted in victory for his forces. This suppression of those loyal to the Remans may have been the "Reman purges", where the Potentates invented contraptions for cutting off heads. The cost of the campaigns was immense, resulting in the impoverishment of both the empire and its constituent kingdoms and in an effort to maintain order without the expense of a standing army, in 2E 321 Versidue-Shaie agreed to a proposal from his kinsman Dinieras-Ves that established what was to become known as the Fighters Guild.

In 2E 324, Versidue-Shaie was assassinated by the Morag Tong and succeeded by his son, Savirien-Chorak. In 2E 400 Savirien-Chorak held a celebration to commemorate four centuries of potentate rule. In turn, he was assassinated along with all his heirs on one night in Sun's Dawn 2E 430, bringing a final end to the Second Empire and signaling the start of the Interregnum. Subsequent rulers of the Imperial Province retained the name of the Empire of Cyrodiil, but this was never ruled by a Dragonborn emperor and did not extend beyond the borders of Cyrodiil.

Known RulersEdit

Name Born Race Crowned Died, Deposed, Abdicated,
or Office Abolished		 Additional Information
Second Empire — Reman Dynasty
Reman I 1E ?[nb 1] Imperial[1] 1E 2703[1][13] 1E 2762[14] Founded the Second Empire and Reman Dynasty. He never took the title of Emperor in his lifetime.[15]
Kastav 1E ? 1E 2762[nb 2] 1E 2804 (deposed)[9][16]

1E 2812 (died)[17][nb 3]

 He is described as an incompetent ruler, and his incompetence would cause the Winterhold Rebellion and the Dragonguard's subsequent refusal to help suppress it, which ultimately led to his deposition.
Reman II 1E 2786[10] 1E 2804 (deposition of Kastav)[9][16]

1E 2812 (official coronation)[10]

 1E 2843[9][10] Deposed Kastav and negotiated an end to the Winterhold Rebellion. He is known for initiating the Blackwater War and the Four-Score War.
Brazollus Dor 1E 2815[18] Imperial 1E 2843[9][18] 1E 2877[18][19] Illegitimate son of Reman II. He is described as neither a particularly capable ruler nor much interested in matters of state, so he delegated nearly all issues of policy and politics to his Potentate, Sidri-Ashak.[20]
Reman III 1E 2863[18] 1E 2877[21] 1E 2920[22][23] Assassinated by the Morag Tong.[24]
Second Empire — Akaviri Potentate
Versidue-Shaie 1E ? Tsaesci 1E 2920[22][25] 2E 324[24][26] Upon assuming leadership of the Empire, Versidue-Shaie declared the beginning of the Second Era. Assassinated by the Morag Tong.[24]
Savirien-Chorak 1E ? Tsaesci 2E 324[4] 2E 430[13][27][nb 4] Son of Versidue-Shaie. Assassinated by the Dark Brotherhood.[24][nb 5]

NotesEdit

  1. ^ The Remanada contains an allegorical story of Reman emerging from Sancre Tor as a child, but this should not be taken as literal truth.
  2. ^ Reman I died in 1E 2762 and it is reasonable to assume that his successor was crowned almost immediately afterwards.
  3. ^ The exact year of Kastav's death and the ascension of his successor, Reman II, is not specified by Annals of the Dragonguard. Sky Haven Temple was cut off from contact with Kastav in 1E 2804 and under siege during 1E 2805 and 1E 2806, so no news of the outside world reached the members of the Dragonguard stationed there. Only after the siege was lifted did they become aware of Reman II's ascension. However, given his 39 years of rule mentioned on his epitaph and his death in 1E 2843 according to Reman II: The Limits of Ambition, Reman II likely deposed Kastav in 1E 2804. Reman II was probably only officially crowned after Kastav's death in 1E 2812.
  4. ^ Most sources such as The Brothers of Darkness, Pocket Guide to the Empire, 3rd Edition, and Systres History: Volume 7 state that Savirien-Chorak was assassinated in 2E 430, but other sources such as the Pocket Guide to the Empire, 1st Edition and the Crafting Motifs series state that Savirien-Chorak was assassinated in 2E 431.
  5. ^ It's controversial which assassin organization really killed the last Akaviri Potentate. The Brothers of Darkness states that the Dark Brotherhood assassinated Savirien-Chorak, while Sacred Witness implies that the Morag Tong were responsible for the assassination.

ReferencesEdit

  1. ^ a b c d e f Pocket Guide to the Empire, 1st Edition: Cyrodiil — Imperial Geographical Society, 2E 864
  2. ^ True Heirs of the Empire — Erystera Ligen
  3. ^ Crafting Motif 26: Daggerfall Covenant Style — General Baryctor Stelanie
  4. ^ a b History of the Fighters Guild
  5. ^ Pocket Guide to the Empire, 3rd Edition: The Wilds Remain: Valenwood — Imperial Geographical Society, 3E 432
  6. ^ The Blackwater War — Valenca Arvina, Historian-in-Residence at Gwylim University
  7. ^ Pocket Guide to the Empire, 1st Edition: The Wild Regions — Imperial Geographical Society, 2E 864
  8. ^ Pocket Guide to the Empire, 3rd Edition: The War with the Trees: Argonia and the Black Marsh — Imperial Geographical Society, 3E 432
  9. ^ a b c d e Reman II: The Limits of Ambition — High King Emeric
  10. ^ a b c d Tomb in Sancre Tor: "Here lies Reman II of Cyrodiil, crowned Emperor of Tamriel in the year 2812. He fell in battle against the Dark Elves, in the fifty-seventh year of his age, after a reign of thirty-nine years and eight months wanting a day."
  11. ^ High King Emeric Answers Your Questions — High King Emeric
  12. ^ a b 2920, The Last Year of the First Era — Carlovac Townway
  13. ^ a b c Pocket Guide to the Empire, 3rd Edition: The Seat of Sundered Kings: Cyrodiil — Imperial Geographical Society, 3E 432
  14. ^ Tomb in Sancre Tor: "Here lies Reman of Cyrodiil. He defeated the Akaviri Horde and brought peace to Tamriel. 2762."
  15. ^ The Book of the Dragonborn — Prior Emelene Madrine
  16. ^ a b Annals of the Dragonguard — Brother Annulus
  17. ^ Emperor Kastav's Epitaph — Honor Guard Captain Sadineras-Kor
  18. ^ a b c d The Emperor of the Villa — Valenca Arvina, Historian-in-Residence at Gwylim University
  19. ^ Tomb of Reman Cyrodiil III
  20. ^ High King Emeric Answers Your Questions — High King Emeric
  21. ^ Tomb in Sancre Tor: "Here lies Reman III, last Emperor of the Cyrodiils, the scourge of the Dark Elves, who was cruelly slain by treachery, in the year 2920. He reigned forty-three years."
  22. ^ a b 2920, Evening Star — Carlovac Townway
  23. ^ Pocket Guide to the Empire, 3rd Edition: All the Eras of Man, A Comprehensive History of our History — Imperial Geographical Society, 3E 432
  24. ^ a b c d The Brothers of Darkness — Pellarne Assi
  25. ^ History of House Mornard — Dorothea Errard
  26. ^ History of Pellitine: An Overview — Sulema, Initiate Scholar of the Pa'alatiin
  27. ^ Systres History: Volume 7 — Trilam Heladren, Associate Dean of Eltheric History, University of Gwylim
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