Claudius Varian

**Emperor Claudius Varian** (5E 39–5E 95), also known as **Claudius the Blade**, was the High King of Skyrim, and the sixth Emperor of Cyrodiil. During his rule, he spend his reign as Emperor to put down number of rebellions, and would be the first of four Claudius to become Emperors during the Fifth Era. His famous sword that he wield and crafted is the Goldbane.

## Biography

### Early years

Claudius was born to then Princess and Heiress Livia Varian and her husband Drarien Gilnndas on 5E 39 in Imperial City in Cyrodiil. At the time, it was her grandmother, Empress Marcella's 40th-year reign after celebrating her Ruby Jubilee. Claudius called her grandmother was "one of the best Imperial Empresses of Cyrodiil." He married an unknown Imperial noblewomen sometimes around 5E 57/5E 59, and have only child named Titus. At the time that Claudius was part of the Imperial Legion before getting married. While as Prince, Claudius Varian had traveled around Tamriel freely, just like Skyrim, Morrowind and even now peaceful Summerset Isles, which he also made a few visits, and set of Claudius's grandmother Marcella Varian's three-hundred year peace treaty at White-Gold Tower.

About year 5E 61, Claudius joined the Blades, marking the only royal member of the Varian Dynasty to become a blade member and was skilled warrior, however her grandmother had disagreements of her grandson joining the organization because of her encounters with them during the Dragon Crisis. He did however spend most of his youth, attempting repairing the relationships between Marcella and the Blades, which there's no anvil. One of the most famously "artifact" from Claudius is his golden katana called Goldbane, rivaled to Goldbrand a Daedric Artifact belongs to Boethiah. It has sad that the Claudius created the katana while her tenure with the Blades, and the katana of Goldbane is mostly used during his reign. At the time of her grandmother Marcella's death and his mother Livia ascended the Ruby Throne in 5E 68, Claudius became the heir apparent.

### High King of Skyrim

Seven years prior becoming Emperor, the High King Haakon, founder of the new founded Haakonian Empire died without a heir in 5E 71. With no heirs on the Nordic throne at the Palace of the Kings and the wearer of the Jagged Crown, Claudius arrived in Skyrim to declared himself candidacy as High King, while the Moot being held on choosing the new monarch. While her mother Empress Livia supporting Claudius for the Nordic Throne, his opponent Rarkun, the Jarl of Riften gained more support and votes from the Moot. Claudius, feared that he was being outvoted by the Moot, he had manipulated the Moot that Haakon named Claudius as his successor. After being chosen as the new High King and inherited the Haakonian Empire, Claudius reclaimed Solstheim for the few years and made pact with his mother, the reigning Empress Livia Varian, which called "The Cousins Pact". As his tenure as High King, Claudius were popular among nobles across Skyrim.

### Emperor

By her mother death on 5E 77, Claudius succeeded to the Ruby Throne. Due his accession as Emperor, a personal union between Skyrim and Cyrodiil for the next twenty years. In his early years as Emperor and High King, Claudius faced a few rebellions in Skyrim, and had conflicts with the Forsworn, a bandit empire and a rebellion between Nords and Bretons. By 5E 81, Claudius still criticized that her grandmother, Marcella Varian's action of the worship of the Aldmeri Pantheon in Cyrodiil, as she respected the Altmer religion with respect, giving the chance of worship of their gods/goddess. These actions saw in Divines temples' return to relative prosperity, though many critics pointed out the gold he extracted had been gotten forcibly. But his reign that Claudius Varian doing better than his predecessor and mother, Livia Varian.

As Emperor, Claudius's reign was at the point where his reign considered one of the controversial rulers of Cyrodiil. The minority of his rule was an peaceful one, but in later a controversial of the majority of his reign, as he promoted lawfulness and furthered the establishment of Imperial organizations, last time was Uriel Septim I. In 5E 84, Claudius had the best year of his 18-year reign, the Arena fighting was reopened and modernized, and improved her grandmother's religious policies which makes the Emperor immediately popular among the nobles and citizens across the Empire and on Tamriel. Years before his stroke and eventually death, Claudius I's personal union between the Empire and Skyrim had ranges from conflicts and flourish peaceful times. His trips to Skyrim as emperor had doubled a year. However many of his subjects preferred his rule as "Emperor-King", which Claudius refused to preferred as that, he continued his reigns as Emperor and High King respectfully.

In 5E 89, Claudius controversial incident which known to be known as The Anvil Incident, when the Emperor arrived to visit with Cavarus Umbranox, the Count of Anvil on policies in the Imperial city of Anvil for a three-day visit. After the meeting, the Emperor and the Count stayed in The Flowing Bowl and reported that Claudius was drunk, causing disturbance at the Inn. Eventually the Emperor accusing the Count of murdering Theolian Jarellia, or striking the Count when Claudius quarrel with Cavarus. The citizens of Anvil became outrage and rioted in protest at the Emperor, which Claudius escaped Anvil in the middle of the night, ending his three-day visit short. This controversial event damaged Claudius's reputation and personal reign.

### Later Years and Death

After the Incident, at the rest of his reign, Claudius's popularity were damaged or fractured, as well his personal rule and reputation is struggling. In the city of Anvil, it marked the disapproval and uproar which resulting in the Anvil Count Cavarus Umbranox and his court banned the Emperor from entering Anvil, marking the only Imperial county to so. While Claudius maintained a good policies with the Nordic kingdom and the Empire, it became stable. In the following year, Claudius made his final trip to Skyrim, where he stays in multiple cities in a few weeks trip. In 5E 91, Claudius attended his son, Titus wedding, however it was cut short as he suffered a stroke, making Claudius unlimited to rule.

A regency took place when Prince Titus became the Prince Regent, which known to as the Imperial Recency. Claudius, unable to walk, was bedridden for the remainder of his reign, leaving Titus, the de-facto rule in his Claudius name. However Claudius died on 5E 95 and his son, Titus succeeded Claudius as Emperor. With the death of Claudius I also marked to the end of the main line of the Varians, disputed her mother are adopted into the Varian Dynasty.

## Appearances

* *The Elder Scrolls VI: Invasion* (mentioned only)
	+ *The Elder Scrolls VI: Underworld* (mentioned only)

## References

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 *Dynasties: The Varians of Cyrodiil*
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 *Pocket Guide to the Empire, Third Edition*
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 *Brief History of the Empire, Book I*
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 *Claudius and Goldbane*
5. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 5E 39*
6. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 5E 38*
7. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 5E 57*
8. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 5E 59*
9. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 5E 61*
10. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 5E 68*
11. ↑ *Year in Skyrim: 5E 71*
12. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 5E 71*
13. ↑ *Year in Skyrim: 5E 71*
14. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 5E 77*
15. ↑ *Year in Tamriel: 5E 77*
16. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 5E 81*
17. ↑ *Year in Summerset Isles: 5E 81*
18. ↑ Loading Screens in *The Elder Scrolls VI: Invasion*
19. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 5E 84*
20. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 5E 89*
21. ↑ *Year in Tamriel: 5E 89*
22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 *The Incident in Anvil*
23. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 5E 90*
24. ↑ *Year in Skyrim: 5E 90*
25. ↑ *Year in Tamriel: 5E 90*
26. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 5E 91*
27. ↑ Dialogue of Historian in *The Elder Scrolls VI: Invasion*
28. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 5E 95*