The History of Mare Umbrae (0 IC - ~ 1,000 IC)

**Lucius Malfoy** · January 26, 2015, 09:21 PM

The Ages of the Sol Empire are a collection of historical texts, written by the leading historian of our age, Pelagius of Durdane, a native of the County of Durdane. In this nine volume history, written during much of his lifetime, has been promoted by the Empire, in cooperation for the Imperial Education Department, as a necessary collection for educating youths and a means of reference for history enthusiasts.

The timeline is reflected off the Imperial Calender, denoted as IC.
The Empire is also known as the Empire of the Known Universe, the Sol Empire, the Terran Empire and the Empire of Mars.

Volume 1: The First Militaristic Era (0 IC – 112 IC)

The 1st Century IC for the Empire is one of glorious proportions. The Empire had witnessed the exalted reign of the Progenitor Emperor and her founder, Symmachus I and his skilled successors, the militant Emperors Aspar I, Numerius I and Numerius II. The First Era of the Empire, categorized as a militaristic one, begins with the date that Symmachus defeats the main armada of the alien invaders as well as their leader, the mysterious Coordinator. This solidified the military prowess and reputation of the future Emperor as a popular uprising happened a year later, in 1 IC, which overthrew the Republic and placed Symmachus at the reins of humanity. The first decision of the Empire was to move the capital from Terra to Mars and, furthermore, decree the sanctity of Terra as the birthplace of humanity. It was during the reign of the First Emperor that the concept of Reclamation Wars came into being. These wars were efforts to reclaim formerly human-controlled space from the grips of the alien trespassers. The reign of Symmachus witnessed three of these wars, reclaiming the sectors of Terra Nova, Durdane and Metropolis. Shortly before his death, Symmachus forms the Landsraad as an advisory council to the Emperor. He also decrees that succession shall fall upon an electoral process carried out by the Landsgraad upon the death of an emperor. Symmachus died in 58 IC of natural causes, a day that is remembered forever in the history of the Empire. Symmachus is buried in the Imperial Mausoleum on Terra where all his successors are buried. It is said that when asked about his will, the Progenitor speaks “The Empire is my wife and her citizens are my children. I leave behind a nation that is stable, prosperous and mighty. Most importantly, I leave behind a nation that will protect its citizens from harm.” Symmachus died without having taken a wife nor fathering any children. In wake of his death, the Empire re-confers the title of ‘Champion of Prometheus’ upon Symmachus which had been granted by the Red Prophet during the Great Invasion. In addition to the posthumous honor, the Empire decreed that no future emperor could ever take the name of Symmachus as the Progenitor Emperor's accomplishments are beyond that of any man, dead, alive or to come.

In the year 59 IC, after a year long interregnum, he is succeeded by Aspar I, the first Emperor to be elected after Symmachus’s death. The reign of the Progenitor’s successor is noted for two more reclamation wars with the first war successfully reclaiming Castor system, while the second war stalled at Regulus. Aspar is severely injured in a fleet battle near Regulus in 67 IC, he dies from those injuries a few years later.

In 71 IC, the Landsgraad elects Numerius I as the successor of Emperor Aspar. Numerius would finish the Fifth Reclamation War, whose target was Regulus, during a phase of the war known as the ‘Regulan Blitz.’ Utilizing lightning tactics and swift formations, Numerius I becomes known as the ‘the Thunderbolt’ due to his quick mind and swift tactics. Immediately after the conclusion of the Fifth Reclamation War, Numerius I would wait a year before conducting the Sixth Reclamation War upon the Mizar Sector. It only took a couple of years to end the war and add new territory to the Empire. It is widely believed that Numerius spent much of his energy on war effort and thus exhausted himself. He would focus on military recruitment and organization for the rest of his reign. It is known that he was preparing for the Seventh Reclamation War but died before it began. Numerius I dies in 94 IC and was succeeded in 96 IC by Numerius II, his half-brother, who was elected by the Landsraad.

Numerius II carried his brother’s plans left behind after his death. His reign, lasting from 96 IC to 112 IC, incorporated three more Reclamation Wars, their targets being the Sirius, Nu Scorpii and Dorsum Sectors. These wars were the last of the First Militaristic Era that ended upon the death of Numerius II. By the time of Numerius II’s death, fervor for the military had begun to decline due to the massive size of the Empire and much needed civilian administration. Upon Numerius II’s death in 112 IC, the Landsraad agreed upon an administrative and peaceful candidate to become Emperor. This successor would take the regal name of Ismail I, the Lawmaker, whose reign began shortly after the death of Numerius II. Thus ended the 1st Century IC of the Empire, an age of glorious military achievement and victories that would be remembered forever. Many of the Promethean Creed’s sanctioned Saints came from this 1st Century.

Volume 2: The First Meritocratic Era (112 IC – 222 IC)

The 2nd Century IC is remembered as a time of lawmaking, administrative reforms and the expansion of legal offices. It was a time of judicial glory, stable laws and peaceful order. This period began with the election of Ismail I, who had been a capable Prime Minister under the reign of Numerius II, in 112 IC. At the beginning of Ismail’s reign, much of the government was controlled by the military. Ismail was the first of three emperors, the Age of the Three Good Emperors, to collectively decree the Three Reformations. The reign of Ismail is noted for the first of these reforms, the Amendments of Imperial Law. However in order for this to happen, Ismail I began to systematically replacing military officers in government with ones of learned backgrounds, scholarly education and reformist mindsets. In order to not upset this balance, Ismail awarded military officers with prestigious titles and promotions. While the officers were off, distracted with policing the Empire, keeping stability and rooting out any internal threats to the Empire, Ismail placed scholarly persons in government. The Amendments of Imperial Law addressed realm-wide and sought to preserve local customs. However, it did make a precedent that the Emperor was the supreme judge of the Empire and his word was law. Ismail’s reign ended in the year 142 IC, having ruled justly for thirty years.

Ismail I's successor was elected 143 IC, taking the regal name of Hasan I. Hasan, a man in his late thirties, would be noted for his reforms to public office, tenures and revenue. A man of economics and public affairs, Hasan I would expand the departments of government, adding in a Civil Service Examination, which was taken by those who desired public office. These examinations ensured that the right people were placed in their appropriate places, bringing forth a swarm of educated personnel into the Empire’s government. Imperial Revenue was addressed in the latter half of his reign, ensuring money flowed to the right places and that taxes were given regulations. His reforms stabilized the economy and ensured it was regulated. Hasan’s rule ended in 171 IC, having achieved the foundation of economic prosperity and a stable civilian government in his wake. The Landsgraad would elect the last of the Three Good Emperors, whose regal name is known as Aspar II.

Aspar II, nicknamed the ‘the Golden Emperor,’ ruled during the height of the Empire’s economic prosperity, all thanks to the reforms of Hasan I. Justice was served well, the civilian government prospered as well as the Empire’s economy. It was said that Aspar II wore a cape of golden silk as a physical sign of the Empire’s prosperity. Trade flowed steadily throughout the Empire, the lanes were safe from pirates and the government continued to serve the people well. Aspar II died a happy man, having ruled over a prosperous Empire, gazed upon a happy populace and enjoyed the peace among the stars. His rule ended in 200 IC, shortly after the 200th anniversary of the Empire’s founding and Terra Day. Aspar II had fallen ill during his pilgrimage upon Terra which was the cause of his death. Despite the offer of medicine, Aspar refused stating “I have lived during the golden years of my generation. I am ready to pass on and let someone else continue its golden age.” Aspar II was succeeded in by Emperor Usul I in 201 IC.

Usul I would not reign long as his sudden death came in 206 IC under mysterious circumstances. His successor, Usul II, also met an untimely death in 210 IC. It is widely speculated that the military was behind these possible murders as they felt slighted by the continuous distance between military personnel and the government. The Landsraad elected a candidate who hopefully would calm the growing storm, a candidate with a military background, known as Numerius III in 210 IC. Yet his election exploded into a civil war between the military and civilian government. Numerius III was not at all popular with the military as he had used money to rise through the ranks, cheating his way to the rank of Major General. Numerius is remembered as a puppet emperor after the year 212 IC when a military-led coup forced the civilian government into submission. Numerius was only kept around as a formality until 222 IC when an attempt to regain control of the government failed and the Emperor was framed as a confederate. His reign ended due to a sudden heart attack caused by the sudden appearance of armed men in the throne room. The Landsraad immediately set about electing a new emperor and chose the military veteran, Cuhlecain I.

Volume 3: The Second Militaristic Era (222 IC – 399 IC)

This third period of the Empire’s history was touched off by the election of Cuhlecain, a veteran commander from the Sirius Sector. Cuhlecain had not participated in the military coup against Numerius III, yet it was supporters of his election that did. He came to the throne, aiming to restore the prominence of the military, yet knew he needed the civilian government around in order to keep the populace calm. Strategic offices were granted to military personnel, but did not overshadow the civilian government. They were placed to keep the civilian section in check so that the military could regain its position in the Empire without much opposition. Cuhlecain was notably known for the last Reclamation War that would secure the Delpha Sector, which would last from 227 – 229 IC. Once it was conquered, the Emperor proclaimed that “Humanity was united once more, under a strong government that could protect its homes and people.” Cuhlecain would continue to position various military officials among the Landsraad and other government posts, ensuring that the military shared duties with the civilian government. Cuhlecain’s reign would end in 242 IC. The Landsraad would support the election of a new military candidate, the Emperor Caricalla I.

Caricalla I was a distinguished choice due to his family’s reputation and lineage, supposedly descended from one of the Saints of the early Empire. He ruled with an iron fist, but at least one that was not tyrannical. His reign saw the continued pre-dominance of the Empire’s military officials within the government. His reign remained relatively peaceful till his death in 267 IC. The Landsraad would support the appointment of his notable son, Numerius IV, who would bring about a sudden decline in the central authority of the Empire.

Numerius IV, the son of Caricalla I, was not at all like his militarily accomplished father or that of Cuhlecain I. His reign was marked with favoritism among a cadre of military officials, high ranked among the Empire’s naval and land forces. A few of these favorites would achieve one of the highest ranks of the Empire’s military within a short time, the rank of Protector General. The Protector Generals dated back to the reign of Symmachus I, military officers with the full military authority over a full sector of the Empire. As these favorites controlled the Empire, Numerius sank into a life of pleasure and bliss, giving no care to the Empire. Soon the government was overflowing with creatures of cadre’s own persons. In the year 277, Numerius IV was found dead in his bedroom. A sudden heart attack was the diagnoses. His successor, chosen by a bias-led Landsraad, was named Jahan I.

Jahan I attempted to change what Numerius IV had done to the Empire, but that only brought him enemies. Jahan I was assassinated in 280 IC. The Landsraad elected one of Numerius IV’s favorites, Cuhlecain II. The reign of this Emperor would only serve to breach the tense peace between the rising factions at court. He agitated all but his own supporters, trying to force compliance by threats and black mailing. These actions caused a reactionary response by the military in the form of a palace coup, which was instigated by members of the Imperial Guard, Landsgraad and palace officials in 286 IC. The reign of Cuhlecain II was humiliated by the result of this coup, known as the Military Preservation Act. Hidden by its grand title, the Emperor was forced to grant major powers to existing Protector Generals, making them nearly autonomous in authority. In the year 299 IC, Cuhlecain was usurped and killed by yet another coup, staged by supporters of the Protector Generals. In the year, 302 IC, after a period of Interregnum, the military, with the Landsraad under their thumb, were forced to support a puppet candidate, who took the name Usul III. With a weak candidate on the throne and the Protector Generals controlling the government, the Empire was at the mercy of the military. The Age of Warlords had begun.

Volume 4: The First Era of Warlordism (300 IC – 417 IC)

The First Era of Warlordism is marked with the near independent status of the Protector Generals who commanded the military and warred against rival factions among the sectors of the Empire. These warlords fought one another for sole control of the Empire as weak candidates were thrust upon the throne of the Empire. The Five Warlords of the Empire each had a powerbase within the respective sectors of Delpha, Mizar, Castor and Sirius. The warlords of Delpha and Sirius held the greatest power due to their territorial gains.

For a long period of time, the Emperors were short-lived and incapable of ruling. They began with Usul III, who reigned from 302 IC – 311 IC. He was then usurped and executed by the military, who replaced him with Hasan II (311 IC – 315 IC). And for the next sixty years, Emperors were thrown on and off the throne, some reigning two or three times before being disposed. This period, known as the Reign of the Forty Emperors, lasted from 315 IC to 378 IC when the dominance of the military was put to question and smashed by the virtuous Emperor, Orion the Restorer.

Orion, the future Restorer of the Empire was the son of the Warlord of Delpha, who had died in a skirmish with the Warlord of Castor. Once taking control of his father’s forces and domains, Orion marched his forces into the central sector of the Empire. His veteran troops landed upon Mars and liberated the people, killing the traitors of the Empire who were stationed on the capital world. This event became known as the Cleansing. To show his desire for unity, Orion incorporated the sectors of Delpha, Terra Nova, Durdane and Metropolis into the Empire once more, uniting a great portion of territory back to the Empire. He was elected by a restored Landsraad in 380 IC. A year after, Orion went on back to Terra in order to perform a pilgrimage. In the Imperial Mausoleum, before the tombs of Symmachus, Orion promised that he would unite the Empire once more and restore it to former glory. Upon his return to Mars, Orion wasted no time with fulfilling his promise and declared war upon the remaining warlords. This fifteen year war became known as the War of Reunification. The last warlord, cowering upon Dorsum, surrendered to the might of the Empire and submitted himself before Orion. The warlords and their confederates were tried upon Mars and executed for their crimes against the Empire. Their families were extinguished as well, ensuring no traitor’s son could challenge Orion’s authority or that of the Empire. Between 395 IC and 415 IC, Orion worked had to reform the Empire, restore Imperial authority and right the wrongs of his weak predecessors. In 417 IC, Orion died peacefully while sitting upon his throne. His last words were “I have fulfilled my promise. I go to join the Progenitor.” With the Empire recovered from the period of darkness, the Landsraad elected a scholarly candidate, hoping that one of an educated background could continue the peace that Orion fought so hard for. The successor’s name was Jahan II.

Volume 5: The Second Meritocratic Era (417 IC – 557 IC)

The Second Era of Meritocracy is notable for the Great Peace, an era starting with Jahan III and lasting for almost a hundred years till the reign of Jiub I. Jahan II was elected in 417 IC after the glorious reign of Orion the Restorer. Jahan would continue the efforts of Orion and go about restoring balance between the military and the civilian government. A major change during his reign was the abolishment of the Protector Generals, along with the Military Preservation Act. As its replacement, the Emperor decreed a mayoral system, ensuring that officials were elected by the Landsraad and approved by Jahan II, as well as his successors. This early form of legislative power would grow over time for the Landsraad. The Mayors were the political and military representatives of the Emperor who oversaw the sectors, yet this system would prove to be the undoing of the Empire down the road. The Mayors were not military candidates, but political ones, having little to no experience with commanding troops. Those of a military background were few and far between. This began to drive a wedge once more between the military and civilian aspects of the Empire that would come to haunt them again. For most of his reign, Jahan II is remembered a man of justice, righting the wrongs that the Empire had endured in the previous generations and strengthening the power of law. Jahan II would live till 447 IC.

After his death, Jahan was succeeded by Emperor Jahan III, who was presumably a cousin of the late Emperor. The quiet reign of Jahan III mirrored that of his predecessor. Stability and peace continued to reign throughout the Empire. This age of the Empire, known as the Great Peace, would continue through three of Jahan III’s successors, Numerius V (471 IC – 491 IC), Vedas I (491 IC – 515 IC) and Jiub I (515 IC – 534 IC). After the peaceful rule of Jiub I in 534 IC, a sudden change in power appeared brewing on the horizon. Jiub I was succeeded by Hasan III.

Hasan III would quickly become known as the Hermit Emperor, who locked himself within the library for days, reading and learning. The daily affairs of the Empire were left the First Minister and the Landsraad. The silence of the Emperor caused rumbling from the military who sought to regain control. And, through careful planning, the military did just that. With warning, a radical sect of the Empire’s military converged upon Mars, forcing Hasan III and the Landsraad to meet their demands. Hasan was allowed to resign from the throne, retreating to his books. It was widely believed that Hasan III was elected against his wishes due to his willingness to abdicate. With the Landsraad in the palm of the military once more, Imperial officers forced them to recognize a claimant of their own choosing. And so began another cycle of weak emperors, controlled by the military and powerless to do anything. This second cycle began with the election of Emperor Numerius VI in 557 IC.

Volume 6: The Second Era of Warlordism (557 IC – 662 IC)

The beginning of the Second Age of Warlords started off rather violently. The election of Numerius VI did not sit well with various groups of soldiers among the army and navy. As the officers bickered among one another, the simple debate turned to threats and soon action. The ensuing result touched off with a mutiny among the military stationed on Mars as ships and soldiers, aligning with opposing factions, began to turn on one another. The Martian Capital of the Empire was the battlefield of a violent confrontation. Ships fired upon one another and soldiers fought from street to street. Numerius VI sought to stabilize the violence, but that only got him in the way and killed. His death is dated 559 IC. As the soldiers departed Mars for their respective sectors, a new candidate was selected by the powerless Landsraad. His regal name was Usual IV. A rather quiet and manipulated emperor, he was what the military needed.

Usul IV, under the eyes of would-be warlords, reinstated the Military Preservation Act, only this time with harsher terms. The military was now in complete control the government. The civilian government had been stripped of its powers in order to prevent them for usurping the military’s dominance over the Empire. With the Act in place, a new wave of Warlords rose. During the next forty years, these warlords fought over control of the sectors until there were four left; the Domains of Delpha, Castor, Regulus and Nu Scorpii. Yet this time, these warlords acted differently. They began to build their own royal armies, impose laws and form government. They even created a royal lineage and succession rights. The Emperors on Mars were helpless to prevent these measures due to the useless state of the Landsraad and the weak Emperors that proceeded over it. In the year 655 IC, the Warlord of Regulus, who became known as Emperor Aizu I, conquered the Terran Sector and overthrew the Emperor in place. Shortly after declaring himself Emperor, the rest of the Warlords also began to declare imperial titles and imposed new measures within their domains. The year 660 IC is commonly known as the Great Division, the beginning of the Divided Empire.

Volume 7: The Era of the Divided Empire (662 IC - 800 IC)

The Divided Empire was the height of disunity among the Empire. However, despite the political and military actions that caused this major split, historians have concluded that a far worse presence caused this division. The presence of gargantuan super-battleships, known as the Titans. The mere sight and presence of these lumbering warships in space struck fear in any naval commander and planetary governor. The first Titan underwent constructed as early as 560 IC according to known records. The warship, labeled the Primordial Project, was a secret experiment of the family that would eventually father the Emperor Aizu I, who came from the Regulus System. The asteroids that were nearby the system served well as a secret harbor in which to construct the first Titan, Hammer of the Progenitor. The Titan was unveiled when Aizu I declared himself Emperor after seizing the Terran Sector in a bold campaign. The other warlords were quite astonished by this, but later historians discovered that the Primordial Project had been leaked somehow and fell into the hands of the other three future Emperors. In succession, three more Titans were unveiled some time after 662 IC; Gilded Gauntlet in 668 IC (Usul V), Primordial Retribution in 673 IC (Vedas I) and finally Imperial Dragon in 677 IC (Orion II). These four Titans became infamous during the period of the Divided Empire and into the Tetrarchy. Their terrifying firepower and gargantuan size were marvel to behold by those who called it ally and feared by those they viewed it as an enemy.

As the Divided Empire continued with a Cold War setting settling upon the four Emperors, it would be their successors who called forth a summit known as the Four Princes Convention in 741 IC that would give birth to the Tetrarchy. The convention served as a means to mediate disputes, codify shared laws and solidify future successions. This was to be the only time in the Empire’s known history that the Emperors would enact Primogeniture succession among their domains. During the convention, the four realms were established permanently according to the terms. The Tetrarch of Nu Scorpii was assured the territories of Dorsum and Sirius including his home system. The Tetrarch of Regulus, along with his homeland of Regulus, was given reconfirmation of its hold over the Terra and Mizar systems. The Delpha Tetrarch made sure his claims over Terra Nova and Durdane with Delpha as the capital. The smallest of the four, the Tetrarch of Castor, was granted the system of Metropolis in addition to this home territory of Castor. The Tetrarchy went into effect in 800 IC, on the anniversary 800th anniversary since the founding of the Empire as per the Four Princes Treaty.

Volume 8: The Era of the Tetrarchy (800 IC - 887 IC)

With the effects of the Four Princes Treaty going into effect in 800 IC, the Empire had officially been divided among the Four Tetrarchs. The domains of these Tetarchs were Nu Scorpii, Regulus, Castor and Delpha, with Regulus holding the Terran sector. Each had their own Titan, a super battleship of unprecedented firepower and fear-inspiring presence. During this age of the Empire, many historians believed the nation realized by the Progenitor Emperor was at an end, yet they spoke too soon. The Treaty formed by the Four Princes Convention in 741 IC would only last for thirty years before the tenuous peace existing would break apart.

In the year 823 IC, the Tetrarch Numerius VIII of Regulus, using the manpower and industry of the Terran Sector launched a vicious war against his northern neighbor, the Tetrarch of the Nu Scorpii Domain. Tetrarch Jahan IV managed to hold against his belligerent neighbor, but would ultimately be defeated due to the sheer industrial might that the Tetrarch of Regulus could call upon. A surrender by Jahan V was signed in 841 IC. Jahan was demoted from the rank of Tetrarch, but granted a new rank of Lord Viceroy over his home system of Nu Scorpii and surrounding systems. The title of Viceroy had been developed during the days of the Tetrarchy, as a form of appointed sector governor that would later develop into the future peerage of the Empire. Over time, the Viceroys would gain great amounts of power and eventually become the nobility of the Empire, tossing off the Viceroyalty title and taking Lordly ones in its place. After pacifying and appoint Viceroys to the Nu Scorpii, Dorsum and Sirius systems, Numerius VIII moved south in a grand campaign to finish off the last two Tetrarchs in 852 IC. The remaining Tetrarchs, Gwyn I and Caricalla III, sought to ally together in hopes of blunting Numerius VIII’s advances, but it proved futile due to the industry and manpower gained in the campaign against Nu Scorpii. With the Titans, The Primordial Retribution and The Hammer of the Progenitor, at his disposal, Numerius VIII struck viciously at his opponents. The enemy’s stubborn command and unwillingness to cooperate risked the entire alliance. It was later found out that Gwyn I had kept a secret from his own ally, the construction of a second Titan. The skeleton of this gargantuan ship was blasted to bits once Numerius VIII found out about it. This would be a deciding factor in the war against the Tetrarch of Delpha. Unfortunately, Numerius VIII would die during the middle of the war in 859 IC, but his militant capable son, Giorgias I, would continue the war with great fervor and determination. The two wars would end respectively in 864 IC (Surrender of Delpha) and 867 IC (Surrender of Castor). Both Gwyn and Caricalla were given Viceroy titles as a sign of respect after their surrenders. By the end of the war, Numerius VIII and, his son, Giorgias I were hailed as the ‘the Uniter’ in restoring the Empire to its former glory and unification.

The remaining years of Giorgias's rule would involve the disbandment of the Four Tetrarchs Treaty and the dismantling of the Four Titans. He passed new legislature reinstating the Landsraad prominence, the elective succession and the reaffirmation of the Viceroyalty system. In the year 876, Giorgias had himself re-elected by the reinstated Landsraad, earning him the right to take the title of Emperor. Yet his greatest legislation happened shortly before his death. In the year 885 IC, a new decree was issued across the Empire. The holovid is still preserved by the Empire's archives. In it, the aged Giorgias states that the production of Titans is hereby and forever banned within the Empire. That to seek the creation of one of these abominations would "deem the creator and his family as traitors to not only the Empire but to all of humanity and the known universe. To start down this traitorous path would forsake the creator's family to eternal damnation. The ultimate punishment for this action would warrant the immediate execution of the creator upon imprisonment and the extermination of their entire family down to very last gene." The Emperor also encouraged any who are aligned with the creator were to seek their downfall and aid the righteous cause of ensuring lasting stability and prosperity of the Empire. In the year 887, the Uniter died peacefully in his sleep. He would be succeeded, after an election by the Landsraad, by Ismail IV, the first ruler to declare himself 'Emperor of the Known Universe.'

Volume 9: The Era of the Great Transition and the Rise of Feudalism (887 IC - 1,000 IC)

The unification of the Empire after three centuries of petty warfare and tyrannical warlords was uplifting for the Emperor. It was widely believed in 887 IC that the election of Ismail IV, who was known as a scholar and level-headed official under Giorgias I, was a good omen for the future of the Empire. Yet an unknowing clash was upon the horizon. The Era of the Great Transition is agreed upon all historians as the time in which Feudalism rose and solidified itself. At the beginning, Ismail IV continued with the works of his predecessor, working hard to heal the wounds of the Empire and restore the position of Emperor and the Landsraad. Yet along the way, his efforts to restore the prominence of the Emperor drove a wedge between Ismail and his subordinates on the Landsraad and among the Viceroys. In 901 IC, Ismail attempted to gain additional tax revenue from the Viceroyalties, only to be blocked by a majority vote casted by the reinvigorated Landsraad. This stunned the Empire due to such a move by the advisory council that had gained political power over the centuries.

Eventually Ismail IV attempted to go around the Landsraad and tax the Viceroyalties directly only to receive minimal funds with angry messages attached to them. This sign of defiance caused the Emperor to be greatly alarmed and ordered the Imperial Army to deal with the Viceroy of Durdane first. The Viceroy was easily subdued, but the message resonated across the Empire. Ismail began to gain word of privately funded armies being gathered by the Viceroys and soon a revolt was on his hands as Viceroys from Castor, Sirius, Mizar and Regulus forced the emperor to agree to their demands by this show of force, known as the First Lord’s Rebellion. Ismail IV was forced to sign the Treaty of Kepler, which was signed in the Kepler System, in 915 IC. The treaty granted new powers to the Landsraad involving tax, impeaching an Emperor and size limit on the Imperial Army. This began the early stage of the Landsraad transformation into a legislative body of the Empire. The rest of Ismail IV’s reign was quiet and he passed away in 927 IC. His successor took the name Gwyn II who took the crown after election in 928 IC.

Gwyn II sought to work with the Landsraad at first, but feeling his prominence as emperor being threatened, attempted to use force, like with Ismail IV, to ensure compliance. This resulted in Second Lord’s Rebellion in 939 IC, which was comprised of Viceroys from Nu Scorpii and Dorsum. Their private forces swept south and forced compliance with the Emperor at Macarb System. This resulted in Gwyn II’s impeachment in 942 IC. These actions reaffirmed the Treaty of Kepler. Gwyn II was succeeded by a candidate of the Landsraad, Jahan V.

Jahan V would be a more tolerable Emperor, as once a Viceroy himself, understood the plight of his fellow colleagues and did his best to keep them pacified. He granted more powers to the Landsraad during his reign; such as the ability to try and condemn citizens for crimes, enforce peace among its members and implement a small amount of policies each year. The peaceful reign of Jahan V ended in 965 IC and was succeeded by a most unusual candidate, Empress Alessandra I, his daughter. The reasons behind the election of Alessandra I was due to her prominence at court during her father’s reign and being a rich heiress after the death of her father and brother. Many desired her hand in marriage but she only sought the best of men. Her time as ruler was surprisingly calm and peaceful. Yet Alessandra is truly remember as a bold woman, especially when she adjusted the succession rights for Viceroys to official primogeniture status, even though it was widely practiced since the years of the Tetrarchy. This was mainly due to the arguments of her ‘unofficial’ primogeniture succession despite the presence of the elective power of the Landsraad. Her reign ended in 979 IC.

The last two decades of the Empire witnessed a sudden attempt to reserve the wise reigns of Jahan V and Alessandra I. Between 979 IC and 1,000 IC, the Empire witnessed the rise and fall of Emperors Usul VI and Devendra I as well as Empress Alessandra II. Starting with Usul VI in 979 IC who attempted to reprimand the primogeniture succession of the Viceroys, who themselves were starting to identify with the title of Lord, resulted in the brief yet destructive Third Lord’s Rebellion, instigated by the Viceroys of Delpha, Metropolis, Terra Nova and Durdane in 981 IC. Usul VI was killed in the ensuing conflict. Historians claim that it was the future Empress, Valeria I, who shot the emperor to death aboard his flagship. It did not take long for the Landsraad to elect a successor by the name of Devendra I. Usul’s successor attempted to continue the war in hopes of either gaining victory or achieving status quo, but failed to. In the end, Devendra was humiliated by being forced to sign the Vox Domini or the Lord’s Rights in 987 IC. This unprecedented treaty created new titles such as Baron, Margrave, Count, Duke and Archduke to appease the belligerent party. The Emperor was granted the title of Archduke of Terra while the rest of the Viceroy’s tossed off their titles and assumed new ones, conferred by both Emperor and Landsraad. In addition, more power was granted to the Landsraad, making it a formidable check of power against the former Emperor's absolutism. Devendra abdicated in 990 IC and retired to Terra due the humiliation of his reign. His successor was Empress Alessandra II. The reign of Alessandra II, an empress who lived in the shadow of her predecessor's reign, was known for the reorganizing the Empire's society and solidifying of the Lord’s Rights. New social titles such as Freyma, Keshik and Citizen were formed to create the hierarchy of society. Within the turn of one century, the entire society of the Empire had changed to a space-faring feudal civilization. Alessandra II, like her predecessor, Devendra I, abdicates in 1,000 IC. However her abdication was marked with unknown reasons, the estimation being that she grew tired of ruling. The pair have retired to an isolated monastery on Terra, living out the last of their years in peace and under the watchful eye of their guards. In 1,000 IC, the Landsraad elected a new Empress by the name of Valeria I.

Volume 10: The First Feudalism Era (1,000 IC - ??? IC)

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