Blessed Age

The Blessed Age (8:00–8:99)[note 1] is the eighth named Age in the history of Thedas. 
As the tumultuous Storm Age comes to a close, two events are seen as a good omen for the next Age: the end of war with the Qunari, and the birth of twin boys, Reville and Gratien, to Emperor Etienne I of Orlais. The arrival of long-awaited heirs to the Orlesian throne dissipates fears of a civil war. The upcoming Age is declared "Blessed" by the Chantry, as it is expected to bring prosperity.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 345
== Chronology ==
* 8:05 Blessed: Kirkwall rebels against Orlais and gains the status of a free city.
* 8:10 Blessed: Qunari invite a group of Rivaini diplomats to Par Vollen; the meeting in Qunari territory sheds light on their society.
* 8:21 Blessed: Emperor Etienne Valmont I passes away. His son, Reville Valmont, is crowned Emperor.Noted under the portrait seen in the Winter Palace during Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts - "Emperor Reville, 8:21 - 8:51 Blessed".
* 8:24 Blessed: The Orlesian Empire, ruled by the "Mad Emperor" Reville, launches the Second Orlesian Invasion of Ferelden.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 361 Thanks to the support of several noble families from Ferelden undermining their country's defence, Orlais establishes a strong foothold.Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne
: Vigil's Keep in the Arling of Amaranthine is the first fortress captured by the invading army.Codex entry: The Vigil The City of Amaranthine falls under Orlesian control and becomes a major port for the ships carrying chevaliers. Amaranthine serves as a capital of occupied Ferelden for a time.Codex entry: The Port City of Amaranthine.
: At the Battle of Lothering, Ardal Cousland, Teyrn of Highever, is slain defending his king, Vanedrin Theirin.Shield of Highever Vanedrin is also killed by the Orlesians in 8:24 Blessed, and Calenhad the Great's sword, Nemetos, is lost.
King Vanedrin is killed at the Battle of Lothering when he falls off his horse. His death causes Fereldan forces to scatter.
: Redcliffe is also taken by the Empire at some point during the invasion.Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne, Chapter 4
* 8:25 Blessed: Though Vanedrin is succeeded by his son, King Brandel Theirin, the youth is unable to unite the country beneath him, and for the next two decades, Ferelden is torn by conflict.
* 8:31 Blessed: The House of Repose accepts a contract from the du Paraquette family to keep the mercantile activities of the Antivan Montilyet family outside of Orlais.During the Of Somewhat Fallen Fortune quest, dialogue reveals the contract was taken out one hundred and nine years ago from the current year of 9:41 Dragon 
* 8:44 Blessed: The Orlesian Empire finally sacks the capital city of Denerim and celebrates victory in Ferelden. King Brandel goes into hiding.
: With the help of loyal members of Fereldan nobility, King Brandel continues to wage guerrilla war against their oppressors. When Brandel eventually dies, several years after the birth of his grandson Maric Theirin, Orlais crowns Meghren as King of Ferelden, though Brandel's daughter, "the Rebel Queen" Moira Theirin - considerably more popular and charismatic than her father - keeps the resistance alive.
* 8:46 Blessed: Nevarra begins the Perendale War with Orlais as belated payback for Princess Sotiria Pentaghast's dismissal by Emperor Etienne I. They take advantage of the fact that majority of the Orlesian army is engaged in Fereldan occupation.Codex entry: The Perendale War[note 2]
* 8:47 Blessed: Emperor Reville grows fearful that the court will support Grand Duke Gratien, his brother, instead. He orders the assassination of Gratien and his family.Codex entry: Mad Emperor Reville
* 8:51 Blessed: Emperor Reville dies after spiraling into paranoia fueled by fear of retribution for killing Gratien's family. His son, Etienne Valmont II, is crowned the Emperor.Noted under the portrait seen in the Winter Palace during Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts - "Emperor Etienne II, 8:51 - 8:55 Blessed".
* 8:55 Blessed: War between the Qunari and the Tevinter Imperium continues as the Qunari decide to retake the island of Seheron that they gave up at the end of the New Exalted Marches. As a result of the Llomerryn Accords, Tevinter fights the Qunari on its own, though the peace between the Qunari and other nations is considered fragile. The Qunari manage to conquer Seheron within three years.
: Tevinter successfully repels a number of attempted landings by the Qunari on its mainland territory.
: Emperor Etienne Valmont II of Orlais dies. His brother, Judicael Valmont, is crowned the new Emperor.Noted under the portraits of Orlesian Emperors seen in the Winter Palace during Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts. "Emperor Etienne II, 8:51 - 8:55 Blessed", "Emperor Judicael I, 8:55 - 8:70 Blessed"
* 8:56 Blessed: The Judicael's Crossing bridge is built in Emprise du Lion.Codex entry: Judicael's Crossing
* 8:60 Blessed: Aurelian Pentaghast, stepson of Princess Sotiria Pentaghast, fails to assume the Nevarran throne when it is revealed he is not a Pentaghast by blood. Aurelian leaves Nevarra in disgrace and joins the dwarven Legion of the Dead as the only human in recorded history.
* 8:62 Blessed: The Antivan city of Treviso is burned to the ground after a fire started in a warehouse full of lamp oil.Codex entry: A Vessel of Tears
* 8:70 Blessed: Emperor Judicael dies. His son, Judicael II is crowned the Emperor.Noted under the portrait seen in the Winter Palace during Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts - Emperor Judicael II, 8:70 - 8:84 Blessed".
: The war between Nevarra and Orlais over Perendale concludes with Nevarran victory.
After the end of the Perendale war, Orlais sows the seeds of rebellion among the local populace who dislike Nevarran rule.
* 8:76 Blessed: In the coldest winter in centuries, Adain of Starkhaven escapes from the Circle of Magi.Codex entry: Cold-Blooded
* 8:77 Blessed: The Hundred Days Cough epidemic begins in Orlais; it claims the lives of the twin sons of Emperor Judicael II and the infant daughter of his brother Florian.Codex entry: Emperor Florian
* 8:78 Blessed: Maric Theirin is born to Queen Moira and the bloodline of King Calenhad is continued.Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne, p. 3 - Maric is said to be 18 years old when his mother is assassinated, which happens in 8:96 Blessed. Loghain Mac Tir is born around the same time.In conversation with the Warden if recruited, Loghain says he is the same age as Maric Theirin.
* 8:82 Blessed: Nevarra begins a bloody campaign of conquest within the Free Marches, encouraged by their taking of Perendale. They are stopped by Cade Arvale, who is named Champion of Tantervale for his deed.Codex entry: Mantle of the Champion
* 8:84 Blessed: After Emperor Judicael II dies during a fox hunt, his brother Florian Valmont ascends to the throne of Orlais, much to his chagrin.
: Eamon Guerrin, the future arl of Redcliffe, is born.Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne, Chapter 12. It's mentioned that around the time of the lost battle of West Hill in 8:99 Blessed, Eamon was fifteen years old.
* 8:87 Blessed: Florianne de Chalons, the niece of recently ascended Emperor Florian Valmont, is born.Note: Halamshiral Investigation - Clues (Grand Library)
* 8:91 Blessed: Teagan Guerrin, younger brother of Rowan Guerrin and Eamon Guerrin, is born.. It's mentioned that when the Guerrin family left Ferelden in 8:93 Blessed, Teagan was only two years old.Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne, Chapter 12. It's mentioned that around the time of the lost battle of West Hill in 8:99 Blessed, Teagan was eight years old.
* 8:95 Blessed: The Witch of the Wilds in the Antivan Weyrs shouts a prophecy about the impending return of the dragons.
* 8:96 Blessed: Moira the Rebel Queen is assassinated by Bann Ceorlic and several other traitor nobles at the behest of the Orlesian King Meghren. Her son Maric flees from the assassins and eventually finds new allies.
: Endrin Aeducan ascends the throne of Orzammar.
* 8:98 Blessed: The Fereldan rebels united under Maric's leadership retake the port town of Gwaren.
: House Tethras is exiled from Orzammar to the surface for manipulating the Provings in favour of their House.Codex entry: Bartrand Tethras
* 8:99 Blessed: The battle of West Hill results in a devastating loss for the Fereldan rebel army; its remnants retreat to Gwaren. Maric dissappears after the battle and the rebels assume he died.
: To avoid detection by Orlesians, Prince Maric passes through the Deep Roads with the help of the Legion of the Dead. He resurfaces at Gwaren and rejoins the rebel forces.Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne, Chapter 14 After resuming control of the rebellion and successfully defending Gwaren, Maric kills Bann Ceorlic and other nobles who betrayed his mother.Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne, Chapter 18
: Although it was presumed that dragons had been hunted to extinction, they emerge again in Antiva and later lay waste to rural areas in Orlais and Nevarra. Another dragon is also sighted in the Orlesian side of the Frostback Mountains, just before the battle of River Dane.Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne, Chapter 19
A dragon is also seen flying out of the Orkney Mountains.
: In light of this, Divine Faustine II who was ready to declare the Sun Age, named for the symbol of the Orlesian Empire, instead names the next age as the Dragon Age. It is predicted to be an age of violence and upheaval.Codex entry: Thedas Calendar
: At the Battle of River Dane, the last two legions of chevaliers that the Emperor sent to the occupied Ferelden are defeated by the rebels who are led by Loghain Mac Tir.
: The Seekers of Truth abandon Therinfal Redoubt in Ferelden due to lack of funding.Therinfal Redoubt. Dragon Age.
== Notes ==
* The "Ages" description in Dragon Age: The World of Thedas Volume 1 page 21, erroneously describes every age starting with year 1 and ending with year 99, claiming the Glory Age took place between 2:1-2:99, the Towers Age between 3:1-3:99 etc. This is directly contradicted in the timeline within the same book, which cites the existence of 3:00 Towers, 4:00 Black, and 9:00 Dragon. Such a system would result in each age lasting ninety-nine years, not one hundred.
* Dragon Age: The World of Thedas Volume 1 sets the end of the Perendale war in 8:70 Blessed, concluding in Nevarra's victory.
== References ==
Category:Ages