Antonius Mede

*"The Empire is such a fool to track me down after they feel that I've been defeated at the Imperial City, I was alive this entire time because I seek power, and so I acquire and study those who have some degree of it."*
―Antonius Mede[src]
**Emperor Antonius Mede**, was also known as **Anthonius**, the **Dead Emperor**, and **The Monk Priest**, was a powerful necromancer who notable for founding the Order of the Dead, and the former Emperor of Tamriel. He began his magical studies as a student of the Arcane University until he was permanently kicked. During his twenty-eight year reign as Emperor, he became both a tyrant until he was deposed in a civil war and evaded death with the help of Lord Haidoneus. Despite ascending to godhood after using the Kagrenac's Tools, Antonius continued his necromancy and under his new alias, he later become one of the prominent neromancers throughout the Fourth and Fifth Eras.

## Biography

### Early life

He claimed to be was born on the 22nd of Last Seed, 4E 78 to a unknown parents, however was parented by his grandfather Attrebus Mede and his wife was actually his adopted parents or uncle and aunt. While he had no knowledge who is actually parents growing up, but he was born in the Mede Dynasty. His great-grandfather, Titus Mede, a warlord who becomes King in Cyrodiil and usurping the throne from Thules the Gibbering. In his childhood, Antonius once a good, loveable, caring, and even-like child, learning sword-fighting, archery, and horseback. But his personally change when he was ill with brain fever and even he recovered few years later, he had been diagnosed by a Cyrodilic Physician with insanity and paranoia with result of his rudely behavior among nobles and illness.

While Antonius was the heir apparent to the throne, Antonius at approximately sixteen years old, he begin his early studies of necromancy which it had been banned by the Mages Guild. He had also studied at the Arcane University, which he accounted admiring the late Mannimarco, the King of Worms, and later becoming most powerful mage. His study of necromancy at the University when records shows that became fascinated by the secrets of necromancers, and was seduced into the practice of entrapping and enslaving souls; resulting the Council of Mages permanently banned the Prince out of the University.

After being banned forever, Antonius claimed that his father, and his cousin the reigning Emperor Severus Mede was angered by his necromancy method studied, he was than punished and beaten before becoming a Daedra worshipper upon reading about the Daedric Prince Haidoneus, and later founded the Order of the Dead, a cult dedicated and bring attention to the Prince of the Dead himself, as a chief lieutenant. When he was permanently banned from the Mages Guild, he become the most powerful necromancer causing other necromancers across Tamriel allied with Antonius and the Order itself grew with Haideonus become the Order's patron deity. Prior becoming Emperor, Antonius had once decided to giving his royal life and become a necromancer which he later regret years later.

### Ascension and Reign

His cousin, Emperor Severus died in 4E 99, becoming the last Great Mede Emperors. Antonius was coming to age when he was ascended to the Ruby Throne. Upon his accession, protests erupted across the Empire, who become unpopular, who will became the final last blow of his reign to his downfall. Immediately after the coronation, Antonius had already damanged, or even demolished of his royal family's legacy as well as his own. During his almost 30-year reign, some sources labeled Antonius's reign is 29 years, was marked with rebellions, the rise of necromancy in the Empire, his cult presence with popularity, assassinations, murders, and thieves. Upon becoming emperor, Antonius noticed that his citizens didn't notice that his involvement with the Mages Guild, which his resumed his necromancy studies, as well of his cult disguising themselves as students of the Mages Guild, destroyed Antonius' involvement with necromancy.

While the Imperial court and the Elder Council recommended the Emperor produced the heir about his dynasty's 100-year reign as long he was married, he didn't take the court seriously and manipulated when he was going to marry which fooled the court. Antonius also known for having concubines within his own cult of various women, known to be the Children of Antonius Mede, which claimed to be Antonius's children who had proven. He is also a Daedric worshipper who give his oath to Haidoneus, the Daedric Prince of the Undead and his status as Emperor, becoming the first emperor who worshipped the Daedra since Martin Septim at the end of the Third Era.

While as Emperor, sources say that Antonius is tyrant ruler when he once read a book, an underwear fictional country and others claimed that he was declared himself a autocracy, making himself the sole leader of Cyrodiil. His followers, the Order, called Antonius the "Supreme Leader" or "Autocrat Emperor", even himself doesn't accept or adopted the title. But instead he wanted more of the Imperial power to himself, taking over the Elder Council with his own supporters without opposition which soon to be named the Council of Advisors, and even worship of the Daedra upon removing the Divines. In 4E 119, Antonius declared that he had possessed all absolute power of Cyrodiil and even the government, and the Elder Council was dismissed.

During his rule as a autocratic tyrant, he overcome upon the dissolution of the Third Empire, the nations of Skyrim, Hammerfell, and High Rock gained independence respectfully, and his failed invasion of Morrowind in 4E 123. He also banned the Septim currency which was replaced with Mede coin. Antonius was described as the worst person to held upon the Imperial throne, which he don't carefor it. Antonius than banished the future Emperor Reman Varian from the capital and to go to exile.

### The Imperial Civil War

His rule marked a turning point of the Empire citizens, notability and the majority of the Imperial Legion officers and generals opposed his rule. The government-in-exile the Elder Council, who was exiled in Skyrim, had sent a warning about the "Restoration of the Monarchy" which Antonius sent his order to hunt down the Elder Council but unsuccessfully. A Elder Council councilor and General of the Legion named Reman Varian returned to the Imperial City, which Antonius was angered by the General's return, and order the his own styled legion to attacked Reman on sight which sent Antonius his top general, who later abandoned him. Reman himself rise a huge army and declared that he had opposed Antonius' rule, which began a four-year civil war which known to the Varian Ruby Rebellion.

During the civil war, Antonius wanted to keep his throne but while Reman gaining victories and supporters, Antonius had no desire to abdicate. He had sent his order and legion to assassinate Reman to disbanded the rebellion, but it was failed multiple times when the assassins were caught and killed. His loyal counts had become allied with Reman and by 4E 126, Antonius' illness had increased and greedy as he sent the legion to massacre and assassinate his own citizens who loyal or supported Reman. In the course of war, Antonius made multiple meetings with the Council of Advisors and even Haidoneus, which the Prince send his UnDead army who accompanying Mede General Tiberius Julentius at the Battle of Sun's Dusk.

Antonius had one more chance to defeat Reman in battle, however meanwhile at the Imperial Palace, Antonius installed a decoy as himself while he escapes into Skyrim while in good disguise or summon Haidoneus to go to his realm before returning to Nirn and made residence in Skyrim. Upon arriving, the decoy was present at the hill, and duel with Reman and the decoy was killed and retook the Imperial City, which the real Antonius was supposed to sign the treaty when he disappeared and went to exile in Skyrim.

### Self-imposed exile

The rule of Antonius Mede and the civil war come to a end, when fake Antonius was killed and Cyrodiil was than restored. After faking his death with his decoy as a "fake" Antonius, he self-imposed exile and resettled in Skyrim, changing his appearance under a new alias, "The Monk Priest", and settled a hideout called Gallows Hall, as well as his new headquarters. Now that his life had now gone, he resumed his studies in necromancy. He than sent his lieutenants which was still alive when Reman took the Imperial City that he is still alive and request his order to gone to Skyrim. He was also named champion by Haidonus himself which he gifted Antonius, immortally. Antonius had been travel to the Underworld multiple or various of times, and hopefully to be a Daedra himself. Throughout the Fourth and the Fifth Eras, Antonius had been in hiding, and was visiting both in Nirn and Oblivion, which he had visit the Dead Order's headquarters, the Castle of the Dead in the Underworld.

In year 4E 147, Antonius claimed that he come the possession of the Kagrenac's Tools and become a god which he becomes immortal, and was given the epithet of the "Undying". Sources claim that he uses the tools on the Heart of Lorkhan, just like the Tribunal. Some time later, Antonius traveled to Morrowind, and visits the ruins of Vivec City and the Clockwork City, which he also known for used the Tools against Morrowind and claimed to used it by returning of the late Dagoth Ur. In the next two years, Antonius travelled the realms of Oblivion, controlled by the Daedric Princes which he mostly spend his time in the Underworld, realm of his master Haidoneus.

### Reemergence and Death

Despite that Antonius remained immortal, he had been leader of the Order of the Dead, an Daedric cult who worship Haidoneus and that the cult was founded by Antonius, since his evaded death. When the Orcish warlord and king Shamar gro-Rogdul invaded the Fourth Empire, he helped and summoned Haidoneus to launched his own invasion of Cyrodiil and later Tamriel, but the Prince was defeated by the Dragonborn-Goddess Marcella in the Underworld. Antonius remained hidden, and was re-emerged almost three hundred years later and become the Dead Emperor. But had trouble with the Imperial authorities, he managed to traveled and settled in Akavir to remain undetected. Doing so, he met and allied himself with the Akaviri Confederation leader King Ilneh which the alliance fall apart.

He was later confronted by Ilneh himself about Antonius's intentions, while the confrontation was missing or went down, but result in had settled by Antonius that he was champion of Haidoneus which in Akavir the Prince was known as Adiru. In 5E 1017, Antonius was eventually hunted down and succumbs to his wounds by a Dunmer mercenary Nelilia Sedaleth, a aspect of Marcella herself, which Nelilia tracked down and defeat his top lieutenants, making the Order fragmented.

## Legacy

His reign marked overwhelmingly negative characterization left by Cyrodilic historians; while viewed to Antonius as the despot, autocrat, and tyrant of Cyrodiil. His twenty-nine year reign as Emperor and tyrant saw mostly as rebellions and the rise of necromancy. Antonius was known as the Dead Emperor due to his studying necromancy in his private life, and called the the Tyrant or the Tyrant Emperor during his reign. From his fake death to his return and later actual death, Antonius remaining supporters was attempted to write biographies of Antonius's life but it was lost. However it also speculated that it was written by one of the last Antonius supporter. His death fragmented the Order, and his successor was unknown, which rumors speculated that the demigod Koagorath could be succeeding Antonius as leader.

## Trivia

* Antonius Mede is one the oldest surviving Daedra, at the age of over 1,200 years old.
* In the book, *The Madness of Antonius Mede*, affirms Antonius Mede was first youngest monarch of the Mede Dynasty and he actually attends the Arcane University at young age before he becomes Emperor, before he got kicked out due to necromancy and he continues his rule as Emperor.
* Antonius claimed to be born to Attrebus Mede in year 4E 78. If true, makes Attrebus, a 60-year old at the time who was born in 4E 18, was fathered by Antonius's mother. However this claim was spectuated that Attrebus is actually his grandfather.
	+ Antonius Mede's appearance during the civil war in Cyrodiil at around 50-years old Imperial, but during his resurrection and rebirth, Antonius was brought back and the appearance is a young Imperial during the events of *The Elder Scrolls VI: Akavir*.
* Antonius gain a ability to used the Thu'um, which can only be done by a Dragonborn. Its unclear what Antonius gained the power, as he may actually be able to use the Thu'um and speak in a new language.
* His dossiers, the Imperial Dossier and a seperate Dossier described that Antonius died after the Battle of the Imperial City, and the Empire labeled the Dead Emperor as deceased.

## Appearances

* *The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim* (mentioned only)
	+ *The Elder Scrolls V: Dragonborn* (appears as a ghost or a spirit)
* *The Elder Scrolls VI: Invasion* (mentioned only)
	+ *The Elder Scrolls VI: Underworld* (mentioned only)
	+ *The Elder Scrolls VI: Akavir*

## References

1. ↑ *Imperial Dossier: Emperor Antonius Mede*
2. ↑ *A Dossier of Antonius Mede*
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 *The Mind of the Dead Emperor*
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 *Antonius Mede, the Dead Emperor*
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 *The Madness of Antonius Mede*
6. ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 *Life as the Dead Emperor*
7. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 4E 78*
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 *The Last Mede*
9. ↑ *An Elder Scrolls Novel: The Infernal City*, *Part Two*, *Chapter One*
10. ↑ *An Elder Scrolls Novel: Lord of Souls*, *Part One*, *Chapter Eight*
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8 11.9 *Dynasties: The Medes*
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Dialogue of Koagorath
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 *The Rise and Fall of Rasman*
14. ↑ *Haidoneus's Madness*
15. ↑ Dialogue of Ogour Hubrgdulg
16. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 4E 99*
17. ↑ *Our Autocratic Emperor*
18. ↑ Dialogue of Paventus Donidius
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Dialogue of Dead Cult Members
20. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 4E 123*
21. ↑ *Year in Morrowind: 4E 123*
22. ↑ *Year in Skyrim: 4E 123*
23. ↑ *Year in Hammerfell: 4E 123*
24. ↑ *Year in High Rock: 4E 123*
25. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 4E 125*
26. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 4E 126*
27. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 4E 128*
28. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 4E 147*
29. ↑ *Year in Skyrim: 4E 147*
30. ↑ Events of *The Elder Scrolls VI: Invasion*
31. ↑ Rumors heard during the Orsinium Conquest; *The Elder Scrolls VI: Invasion*
32. ↑ Dialogue of Koagorath in *Underworld*
33. ↑ Events during "Death of the Dead Emperor"
34. ↑ Events of *The Elder Scrolls VI: Akavir*
35. ↑ *Year in Cyrodiil: 5E 1017*