Second Calradic Empire

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*For Founding and first Empire, see Calradic Empire.*

The **Second Calradic Empire**, also known as the **Second Empire of Calradia**, and briefly known as the **Empire of Swadia**, is a faction that can emerge within the land of Calradia. It will be ruled by the last Swadian Empress Marsolla Kaingorios. The main capital of the Second Calradic Empire is Reyvadin, as well briefly the Swadian city of Dhirim.

## History

### The First Empire

The Calradic Empire can trace its beginnings to a warlord named Calradios the Great, who led a band of exiles into the land that would eventually be named Calradia in order to make a new home for themselves through conquest. His descendants, the Calradoi, became one of the many tribes living in the hills bordering the Southern Sea and the Battanian woodlands. Unlike the other realms of the land, the Calradoi did not have a monarchy, ever since the tyrant Cypegos was slain by Echerion.

Calradios and his descendants conquered many of the natives and incorporated them into the burgeoning nation under the Dragon Banner, subjugating many ancient tribes such as the Palaic people and assimilating them as imperial citizens. The Empire came to stretch all the way from the Western Coast of Calradia to the Great Grass Sea in the east, the single greatest power on the continent for hundreds of years.

The Empire had a policy of keeping the border tribes in a state of disarray: creating clients and allies in the Nahasa and reducing the power of any ambitious Battanian king or nomadic khan through bribes and assassinations. Despite this, the Calradic Empire still experienced its share of conflict with these foreign states, sending imperial legions and hiring Vlandian mercenaries from overseas to continue its expansion and protect their borders.

However, shortly before the reign of Emperor Neretzes, the Calradic Empire was in a state of decline. The Vlandian mercenaries that settled within the Empire's borders declared their independence under King Osrac Iron-arm, seizing control of the capital city of Baravenos and the rest of the Western Coast. Meanwhile, the steppe and desert tribes united into the Khuzait Khanate and the Aserai respectively, with the Khuzaits pushing west into the Empire and taking its eastern provinces.

During the year 1077, the Empire experienced one of its worst defeats in all its history. An alliance of Sturgians, Battanians and Vlandians had declared war against the Empire and its Aserai and Khuzait allies. Under Emperor Neretzes, the army marched into Battanian lands, culminating in the Battle of Pendraic , wherein the imperials were slaughtered by falxmen, Vlandian horsemen and Sturgian warriors. Neretzes fell in battle as the imperial camp was stormed by the enemy, with the dragon banner lost and only a handful of soldiers escaping to the safety of imperial territory.

Subsequently, the leader of these soldiers, Arenicos, was declared the new emperor by the senate. Arenicos fought in several engagements on the border and restored order to an empire in fear. Following one successful campaign, he returned to his palace in southern Lycaron to spend time to rest. But as his guards came in to check on him, Arenicos was found dead in his personal chambers. With his death, the Empire collapsed into civil war.

### Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord

By the year 1084, the Calradic Empire has descended into a three-way civil war: the Northern Empire, led by Senator Lucon, seeks to reestablish the primacy of the senate in electing an emperor, all the while being opposed by the veteran Garios and Empress Rhagaea. The former seized the Western Empire, desiring to have the imperial military choose the new emperor, while the latter sought to have her daughter Ira succeed her father from the Southern Empire.

Still, the Empire has an army to be feared. They are masters of combined arms warfare with cataphracts, spear-formations and archers.

### Mount & Blade: Warband

*Further information: Kingdom of Swadia*
TBA

## Trivia

* The Calradic Empire is heavily inspired by the Late Roman Empire/Byzantine Empire.
* Like the Battanians, they, too, ceased to exist by the time of *Warband*, 200 years later. They most likely have been assimilated into the cultures that have conquered their lands.
* After the last remaining city of Calradia was conquered of the last remaining faction, the Swadians declared itself the Second Empire of Calradia. When the last remaining faction is eliminated, Marsolla's royal title changed from Queen to Empress while the faction color theme also changed.
* Depends how Swadia go to war with the Vaegirs, Marsolla always suggested that besieging the Vaegir's capital city of Reyvadin is a "tough siege but it was worth it." She also proclaimed that the Vaegir King had no choice but to get the city back.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.taleworlds.com/en/Games/Bannerlord/Blog/45
2. ↑ https://www.taleworlds.com/en/Games/Bannerlord/Blog/46