Lore:Pocket Guide to the Empire, 3rd Edition/Cyrodiil

:Like the diamond in the center of the  ,   is the heart of the   and  . Still largely forested and almost landlocked, the beauty of the land has been sung of since time immemorial. Three  s have wielded their power from the strategic center of the continent, so it is little wonder that Cyrodiil is widely know simply as The Imperial Province.

History
:The early  i settlers to Tamriel established strongholds on the islands of   and along the coast, but did not venture far inland. Only oral histories and the fragmented ballad of   offer glimpses of the ancient   that inhabited the land, but they are shadowy, mist-drawn portraits of time before reckoning. It is not until the coming of the   that Cyrodilic history truly begins.

:The Ayleids were ancient Aldmer, cousins of all the elven races that exist to this day. Over time, they became a distinct people, crafting a civilization whose ruins still puzzle and fascinate modern archeologists and adventurers. The ancient   people, spreading south from  , became the slave labor for their ambitions, centered around the  .

:The   of   in the  nd year of the   is a seminal event in the history of Cyrodiil, and all of Tamriel. While humans and elves had been battling in Skyrim for some time, and the Slave Queen's revolt could not be called the first victory of   over  , it represents a turning point in the continental power structure. The heart of Tamriel was going to belong to these former slaves, present day Cyrodilics or  s, forever more.

:With the aid of the  s of Skyrim, the Cyrodilics consolidated their power, forming a loose alliance between the two sometimes disparate regions: the rich  , and the remote, rough  . While the   continued to push westward towards the   lands in  , the   was a cultural and religious one. The prophet  's teachings both brought identity to Cyrodiil, codifying the   most civilized Tamriellians worship to this day, and brought conflict due to the more severe strictures he espoused.

:The next great transformation of the land came from distinctly external forces. The foiled   invasion of   brought about a new dynasty, and a new spirit of cooperation among independent nations, dedicated to fighting the common threat. Under the Emperor   I, Cyrodiil became truly cosmopolitan, incorporating aspects of High Rock,  , Nibenay, and the sophisticated if strange culture of the defeated Akaviri into a common whole. The Cyrodilic Empire, also called the  , began again the process of expansion, founding a strong single nation, if not actually succeeding in conquering the entire continent.

:The assassination of   and his son and heir   at the end of the   with   marked the end of an era, if not the end of the Second Empire. Under the  s, the system of governing continued to evolve throughout the  , progress that abruptly ended with the assassination of the   in the year  .

:The rest of the Second Era was a time of great darkness and chaos throughout Tamriel, nowhere moreso than in Cyrodiil. Without a central government, Nibenay and   split apart, farms fell fallow, villages were left in ruin, and the former Imperial highways became no man's land, the realm of bandit kings. The   itself became the prize for an endless series of would-be emperors, fought over for centuries until its glory was only a faded shadow of the great days when it ruled Tamriel.

:The rise of   has been amply documented in the history, and in a hundred books besides. In Cyrodiil, his influence could not be overemphasized. He gave the land back its traditional power and more, and became the symbol of it. He founded the dynasty that reigns to this very day. Cyrodiil, of course, helped Tiber Septim as much as he helped it. It gave legitimacy and a sense of history to his legend, which grew even ahead of his conquests.

:The Imperial City and Cyrodiil rose again in splendor, occasionally tarnished by the weakness of some of  , the  , and the  , but never again did it lose its luster.

Current Events
:The Imperial Province has continued to be the stable heart of the Empire, offering a model to its satellites of a government that settles disputes by diplomacy, not force of arms.  The recent marriage of  , daughter of the   of  , to Count   of   typifies this, a perfect blend of love and sound political judgement.

:Nevertheless, there have been a few frightening moments in Cyrodiil in recent years.  A suspected outbreak of the  , a threat for the first time in hundreds of years, sparked panic along the southern border with  .  It was revealed to be a hoax, perhaps created by  s fighting back against Imperial excursions led by the  , and the fear was dissipated.  Family strife in   claimed the lives of both sons of Count  , vying for the inheritance.  While peace has been restored, the Count, at the time of this writing, is still in mourning, and has not designated a new heir.

:In the Imperial Court, there is thankfully no such tragedy.  While the Emperor chose not to remarry following the  's death more than fifty years ago, she left to him three healthy boys, who have spent their adult years learning the art of politics from their masterful liege and father.    has already taken many of  's responsibilities, and has impressed one and all with his acumen.  As the heart of the Empire is solid, all of Tamriel is strong.