Empress Theodora

**Her Imperial Highness, By the Grace of The Heavens, Mother Imperial, Theodora Marie Josephina-Sophia Charlotte Amélie Augustine Valerie Victoria Cynthia von Saffira and Copa de Elegaria An-Bagranthar, Empress High and Undisputed of the Second Kymurian Empire, Kazan Oxūs Eraz, Protector of the March, Queen of Frisia, Queen of Free Morworth, Queen of Free Westers, Lady-dowager over the Plains, Lady of the Ubrus Isles, Duchess of the Greater Realms, Supreme Diarchess of the Free Merchants of Astar, Countess of Masonburg, Mayoress-Viceroyal of Krahull, Archduchess of Caudolla, Intendant-Royal of the Royal Estates and Grand Keeper of the Saffiric Seal**, is the Empress of the Second Kymurian Empire at the start of the game. She is the symbolic personification of Kymurian Imperial Glory and spirit, as well as the near-absolute ruler of the state.

## Princess-Duchess of Kymuria

The oldest female heir of Empress Isabella I by her second husband, Count Michael of Masonburg, Theodora was born at the Royal Castle at Lake Sybil, outside Saffira, in 1001KF. Theodora has a younger sister, Archduchess Cynthia of Revs. Both girls were children of Empress Isabella and her second husband, Lord Victor of Krahull.

Because her mother viewed the children of her second marriage as insignificant and bastardly, spending most of her non-ruling hours coddling her eldest son Tyenn, the young Theodora spent much time in the care of her extended family. Her favourite grandparent, Maria Amalia of Dannenholm was also her close confidante. They regularly corresponded, especially later while Theodora was Empress. Due to the complicated status of the House of Elegaria An-Bagranthar, Theodora was simultaneously honoured as a princess of the realm and as the Duchess of South Oricktrant, a title held by her mother.

When Theodora was ten years old, her mother, Empress Isabella, sent her away from the capital for her own safety and Theodora was entrusted to the Countess of Hulste, a close family friend. Although young, the princess had her own household; but for a few weeks out of the year, she stayed in Copa with Maria Amalia and the rest of her mother's family.

In her youth, Theodora resembled her mother, and was noted to be a beauty, possessing delicate features and an ample figure. Combined with her status as the only daughter of the lower generation of the imperial house, she was a desirable bride. Theodora married Lord Maximilian of Reallet when she was 19 and he was 23. Empress Isabella gave Theodora and her husband a beautiful bisque bust of Theodora as a wedding gift. Theodora spent several relatively happy years in the Plains Palace as Maximilian's wife while her mother's health and influence declined. In her early teens, Theodora showed an intense interest in radical liberalism, and often discussed such ideas with her tutors and palace staff, however, by the time she became a woman, the ideals and practices of Kymurian nationalism were firmly cemented within her. She came to view the nation as an endangered animal which needed to be rescued from the brink of death. She also heavily adopted orthodox Angelican rituals, which gained her significant popularity among the conservative classes and populace of the south, especially in contrast to her buffoonish behaving Emperor-brother, who she saw little of, but when she did, she saw him as nothing more than a childish bore.

## Archduchess of Kymuria

After the collapse of the Kymurian Empire, the death of Tyenn, and the establishment of the Confederacy of the Realm, Theodora was moved to Saffira City by Premier Harding since she was the eldest and most popular of the royal succession. One of her half-brothers was killed by a mob in Dannenholm while another fled to Outmost Island, abandoning his estates in the process and quickly dying of fever. Her bizarre 'coronation' ceremony as was vividly described by the following passage of her diary:

> *"I was still bewildered as to why I had been moved from my comfortable manor in the south and brought forth to the dreary capital away from Max, when a bald Baron-General entered my vast, dusty chambers during afternoon tea to affirm that I was to be crowned as "Archduchess of the Realm," a regency position within the government, and that, unfortunately, I had no choice in the matter. So the next morning I was veritably assaulted by an army of maids, serving girls, attendant-madames and ladies-in-waiting (about 40 I think) who proceeded to undress, re-dress and decorate me in dress so large I doubt it could fit through any other doors than those in the Grand Palace, plus a four-foot hair extension, a wagonload of jewellery, and what felt like a whole case of makeup powder. I was then bundled into an opulent carriage and driven to the First Cathedral, where a tiny audience of nobles and clergy watched the ceremony. The High Abbot was present, but hadn't had chance to learn the appropriate scripture and formatlies, so he read from a crib sheet. This all seems very odd and, I must say, rather false, since I could see the white cloths still adorning the chandeliers and boards on the high windows, and there was no after-party or official reception, I merely stood about in the Cathedral vestry with some maids, in awkward silence, until the "Premier" arrived and congratulated me for...something...I'm not sure what exactly. I could smell the stench of tobacco before he entered the room, and his first question to me was whether he might smoke in my presence. I allowed it. He did not cease thereafter. We were served tea and some rather passable cake (although one was STARVING!) and he talked for quite some time about national stability. I asked if I could return to my manor but he insisted I have my household moved to the rather small Sultana Palace, to which I did not voice any opposition, though I suppose the central complexes are in a state of disrepair. My exact duties are unclear. Mr Harding was quite clear that I should consider myself head of state, although I have no actual powers to attend to. How strange, to be the mere pawn of a puffing solicitor from the Copan ways! We then discussed financial matters, though I insisted that as a representative of royalty, I ought not to receive a salary. The family wealth is enough to live on, though I worry about some of these militant republicans trying to steal it. Max sent a messenger to say he'll arrive with "the household" in four days time. I want him here now. These chambers are cold and lonely, but there is a strange charm to this hollow cocoon of dusty opulence that once sparkled so brightly all about the continent."*
>
>

Almost immediately, Theodora cemented her position as a very popular figure among the Kymurian populace and even as far as the nascent states by giving strong, reassuring speeches that established a connection with the people. She also created an image for herself as the "Spirit of Cyroth," politically by her support of the Kymurian Imperial system and nationalist ideals. While in practice the country was under the control of a Premier council under Premier Harding, Theodora exerted herself to the extend that she appeared to be the de-facto ruler, and even before her Restoration Coup, the Kymurian nation, accustomed to 900+ years of autocratic, personalistic rule, and having been through a traumatic dismemberment of it's empire, found the unwavering, headstrong and blue-blooded character of Theodora irresistible, and began to look upon her as a rightful saviour.

## Coup d'etat of the Imperial Restoration

Over the decade that she was Archduchess of Kymuria, Theodora had spent many hours mixing with (and in some cases, flirting with) high ranking Baron-Generals, Ministers, clergy, Lords and Squires. This secured her a vast base of support when she wrote personally to over a hundred individuals, asking them to support her claim to the Imperial Throne and overthrow the unpopular Premier Government. While many letters were later destroyed, it is presumed she had total support when, in 1034KF, she and the Imperial Guard stormed the Saffira Palace and was officially crowned Empress of the Second Great Kymurian Empire, putting and end to Ewart Harding's premiership. She immediately rallied every major section of Kymurian society to her cause, and began to take the image of a deity or a spiritual entity among the lower classes, who regarded her as a saviour and were greatly affected by her press organ, a national newspaper called the Imperial Star (A name often used in reference to Theodora herself.) She also took on the mantle of "mother imperial" which suggested a matriarchal overlook to her empire, helped by aspects such as her feminine outward appearance (often cast aside in favour of her usual witty and fiery temper once dealing with ministers and staff) seen as a status symbol for Kymurian women, a demographic who began to support her fanatically when she became pregnant during her rule in 125KF, and gave birth to a son.

Other than the council of Lords, Theodora's main means of executive power is the Regency Court, an appointed parliament of advisers and bureaucrats that handle the day-to-day running of the Empire.

## Policy and Outlook

Theodora's whole-hearted adoption of all things Kymurian may have prompted her personal enthusiasm toward Angelican religion. She did raise tax on the church to help pay for her political endeavours and the oncoming industrial revolution, but this was compensated by the massive upswing in church attendance and donations thanks to her encouragement of Kymurian cultural matters.

A crisis facing both the Harding and Theodora administrations was that the traditional university city of the Sra States was now distanced from central Kymuria, and only governed as a protectorate, and as such the entire educational system was thrown into disarray. Theodora's solution was to open a collection of Engineering Colleges, Conservatoires of the Arts, Universities and Schools around the now reduced Kymurian nation, as had other nations once granted their independence. This did lead to a falling out with the High Abbot, since the church lost its monopoly on Kymurian education, but he was assassinated a month later by suspected Oshary extremists, although many leads led back to Theodora, and a genuine criticism of her politics could be a willingness to rely on gangster tactics and quiet sabotage. A prince of Roldorf once said of her "Poison is a woman's weapon, but espionage is an Empresses." To this effect, she developed an extensive personal security network, going as far as to lock the palace doors at night herself (a job which takes some two hours by foot) and having pieces of White Cake (one of her favourite foods) tasted by her personal attendants, often a Guardsman she chose herself.

## Image Abroad

Once tensions began to stir between the Kymurian and Zeorin Empires, Serenos Grimm's vast political machine began to depict Theodora as the opposite of her image in Kymuria. For example, her nationalism and temper was depicted in satirical poems and cartoons as raving xenophobia, her encouragement of the military was depicted in inverse, as though the generals controlled her, and her full figured stature was exaggerated to morbid obesity. This was the only foreign insult Theodora took personal offence to.

In other countries, particularly ones with strong neo-Kymurian tendencies, she was popular. Portraits of her sold in great numbers throughout Roldorf and Mollburg, and while the Kingdom of Brabont did not wish to actively re-join Kymuria, King Alphonse made frequent visits to Saffira, and considered her a personal friend. Her use of the Imperial Fleet and Brabontian Expedition to win the war against Indostria made her a hero to the Brabontian people, and she was made a Sentinel of Honor and Protector of the Kingdom by King Alphonse's son, Isiah I.