Recent Rulers

Throughout history, ascoulians have had many Sovereigns. Although many of them are worthy of stories, this article focuses on the five most recent rulers. These rulers are still in living memory, and their actions have directly affected many of those alive today. Their ancestors included many famous and legendary rulers.

The rulers are listed *most recent* to oldest.

## Personal

### Children

None yet

Aleksei IV is the current monarch of the Ascoulian Empire. Until Aleksei has children, the heir apparent is his half-brother, Bartholomei.

Aleksei has only come to the throne recently after the death of his father, and is yet to establish himself from his predecessor. Although Aleksei ruled as regent for much of his father's sickness, Kazimir's controlling nature made it less of a regency, and more of a mouthpiece position. So far, the most notable thing about him is his appointment to Viceroy at only 14.

*Aleksei is an active character within the game, and can be found **here**.*

## Personal

### Children

1

Kazimir III is remembered as a stern, effective ruler with a tendency for paranoia. He kept his court under tight control, and was quick to remind any wayward nobles of their place - often with violence. In his later years, Kazimir III became something of a recluse, and would only interact with a select few, ruling mostly through letters and his viceroy.

Known for: Harsh treatment of disobedient nobles, interest in developing outer provinces, being a recluse.

### Before Coronation

Kazimir III was born the first son of his mother, Sovereign Elvira. He received a typical royal education, and excelled in most subjects, but especially history and fencing. As a child, he was a quiet, dutiful boy, well-liked by the court and mature beyond his years. Unlike so many Princes, Kazimir never took a particular interest to courtship or indulgences, making him somewhat unpopular among his peers - especially compared to his younger brother.

In 1215, aged 22, Kazimir was appointed Viceroy under his mother. He took to his duties admirably well, spending a lot of time traveling the provinces on the Sovereign’s behalf. He became very popular in the outer provinces for his direct involvement in their affairs - something the Sovereign’s had rarely done.

Around year 1219, Elvira began to search in earnest for a suitable match for both of her sons. Eventually, Katerina was chosen as a suitable match for Kazimir, and the two began courting sometime in 1221. Rumor is that the courtship was tumultuous, as the Prince was far more dedicated to his mother and the kingdom than his future wife.

Elvira fell seriously ill in the winter of 1222, and despite the best efforts of the doctors, became bedbound. Kazimir ruled as regent in his mother’s absence, and was married to Katerina in 1223 in preparation for his imminent ascension to the throne.

### Reign

At Sovereign Elvira’s funeral in 1224, it was noted that Katerina was pregnant, and the pair seemed closer than ever before. The child’s birth later that year changed everything - for the child was obviously not the Sovereign’s.

The bastard was recognized and legitimized by his father, the Sovereign’s younger brother. Family life was reportedly tense at the castle, and would remain so until Katerina’s second pregnancy, and the death of the father of her older son. Kazimir’s first and only heir, Aleksei, was born 1226.

Despite personal drama and court gossip, Kazimir proved an efficient ruler with a good eye for dealing with the commoners. He was an active traveler, spending months on end in other provinces. He would regularly overrule local nobility to push through his own changes, earning him great popularity among the commoners. He was also well-liked by the army, and increased funding for various outposts and garrisons.

Nobles, however, were less than pleased - especially those in the outer provinces who regularly became the target of the Sovereign’s micromanagement and upstaging. Such whispers reached the court through Kazimir’s extensive spy network, and he successfully curbed several small insurrections - usually with executions. The largest of these, a planned uprising of three minor noble families in 1237, led to the eradication of their entire Houses. Civil war was averted, and Kazimir’s throne remained secure.

Still, Kazimir was not unaffected by these events. He became increasingly paranoid and reclusive, exiling nobles from his court in waves until only a few trusted individuals remained. In a surprising but not unprecedented turn of events, Kazimir appointed his 14 year old son, Prince Aleksei, as Viceroy. After this appointment, courtlife seemed to stabilize once more. Kazimir took an active interest in matters at the capital, and managed to secure powerful allies among the local nobility.  His tendencies, however, were far from gone - Kazimir’s court remained small and tightly under his direct control. He would travel every year with a small retinue to visit other provinces, retaining his popularity in the far reaches of the nation.

In 1246, an old injury in the Sovereign’s leg came to bother him, and he had to refrain from traveling. This was a turning point in his health. Now confined to the capital, Kazimir became increasingly paranoid, and eventually was only ever seen by his viceroy, his scribe, and his personal physician. The Sovereign reportedly never left his rooms, and would not take audiences. Ruling through his spies and countless letters, Kazimir remained frighteningly effective, and his shadow loomed large over the court even as his health further declined.

Kazimir died in late 1249, withered away by the sickness in his body and soul. He was succeeded by his son, Aleksei IV.

## Personal

### Children

2

Elvira was a magnanimous, benevolent and progressive leader who was known for her extroverted personality and willingness to compromise. She was unusually lenient in many matters, and although she is generally considered to have been a good ruler, her interest was mostly in the nobles and matters in the crownlands.

Known for: Very pro-nobility, ennobling many families, championing arts (especially literature) and religion.

### Before Coronation

Elvira was born into a large family - her father had several bastards, most of whom lived with the royal family. Elvira was the oldest of the four legitimate children, and as such, was named heir upon her birth. As a child she wasn’t much of a student, being far more interested in socializing and making new friends than dull lectures. She was a bit of a wild child, and it was not once or twice that the royal guard had to fetch the wayward prince from a nearby town.

Age did little to dull her adventurous spirit, but after being saddled with the title of Viceroy at the age of 18, Elvira was forced to take matters of court more seriously. She was very popular, especially among her peers, and was known for her excellent skills at negotiation and public speech - having an easy, infectious charm that seemed hard to resist.

As Elvira’s father was a very active, hooves-on monarch, Elvira’s duties as Viceroy were largely limited to attending various events and gatherings - which suited her perfectly. She was betrothed in 1182, but the pair had difficulty having children.

### Reign

Elvira took the throne when her father died in 1190. Aged 30 and still childless, the pressure was on for Elvira to produce a heir of her own - otherwise the title would pass onto the children of her siblings. One divorce later, in 1193, she was finally pregnant, and soon gave birth to Crown Prince Kazimir. A second child was born only two years  later in 1195.

The minor crisis of succession now sorted, Elvira could focus properly on the rule of her empire. She focused her efforts largely onto the capital and the immediately surrounding areas, making many friendships and alliances with nobles. Elvira also created unusually many new noble families, and was generous in granting land and titles. Her other interests included art - especially poetry - and religion. Elvira would champion these passionately, and was known as a generous patron. Her era saw a great resurgence in theology and fine art.

Her reign was peaceful, prosperous and stable - reaching neither the high highs or low lows of some of her predecessors. Elvira reigned as an active monarch in the capital, with her Viceroys (first her sister, later her son) handling matters of travel and province-relations.

Elvira’s health began to ail in 1219 - she was frequently ill with various flus and other ailments, and complained of strange aches. By 1222, her illness had progressed to the point that she had to retreat from public life, with her son reigning as regent. Although healers did their best to help the ailing monarch, Elvira died in 1224. She was succeeded by her oldest son and viceroy, Kazimir III.

## Personal

### Children

4, and at least 15 bastards

Viktor was a famously promiscuous king, fathering at least 15 recognized bastards, and four legitimate children. He was charming and flirty, and known for being extremely generous with his favorites, but could be stern and unyielding in matters important to him.

Known for: Blatant favoritism, championing medical research and education, funding the development and research of movable type and the printing press.

### Before Coronation

Viktor II was the oldest and only son of his mother, Sovereign Agnessa’s daughter Marina. As the heir of an heir, Viktor received a princely education, to which he took well. Science in particular was one of his great strengths, a passion he would carry well into adulthood. Unlike most monarchs, Viktor also publicly studied and used magic, with his particular spark being for the art of healing.

Viktor’s mother died when he was still fairly young, making him now the Crown Prince. Wanting to complete his studies before settling into the position of a Viceroy, Viktor stubbornly refused the honor.

After that, the excuse became his desire to cultivate a proper family. His mother had been terribly absent all of his childhood, and Viktor aspired to be more than a distant figurehead to his own children. Him and his wife took many lovers, resulting in many bastard children, all of whom were recognized and legitimized. While this was hardly unheard of in noble circles, it was terribly unusual for a Prince, and reportedly did not please his grandmother in the slightest.

Despite his best effort, the honor and duty of Viceroy was thrust upon him in  1155, with Viktor already 34 years old, and still lacking a true heir. As Viceroy, he worked mostly in whatever duties his grandmother appointed him - often relating to her own passions of trade and development, neither of which were great passions of Viktor’s.

The long awaited heir would finally come in 1060 with the birth of Prince Elvira, soon to be followed by three more royal children. By this time Agnessa II was already terribly old and limited in her ability to function as a monarch, leading to more and more time spent by Viktor as regent. Eventually, the elderly monarch abdicated, and Viktor was crowned in 1168

### Reign

Despite having shown very little interest in matters of state prior to his coronation, Viktor proved to be a rather competent, if extremely hooves-on monarch. Whenever he set his sights on a project, he wanted to personally involve himself in all aspects of it - such as understanding the science behind it, and wanting to be part of prototyping and experimentation. He preferred to lead from his home in the capital, where he could stay close to his family, making the capital a booming center of innovation and industry centered around a very involved, supportive monarch.

Viktor became somewhat infamous for his obvious favoritism. In his case, these favorites were usually not nobles, but instead scientists, educators and doctors whose work he appreciated. The court came to be largely populated by these figures. It was their influence that led the Sovereign to invest heavily in medical research, including building an all new medical facility just for this purpose.

He also championed education, funneling great amounts of Crown funds to support universities and other places of learning around his domain. His intense interest in education led to many important works being created both during and after his reign - in large part due to the increase in funding and appreciation.

Arguably his greatest contribution, however, is funding a project that led to the development of movable type and the printing press. The Sovereign was extremely involved in this project, often taking his reading materials to his bed, and holding impromptu lessons for his children on the massive step forward this would be. Printing presses have the colloquial nickname “Viktor” in his honor.

Viktor remained passionate throughout his reign, and his interest in science never waned. He died in 1190 of natural causes. His last act was dictating detailed instructions for a new scientific experiment.

## Personal

### Children

3

Agnessa II is one of the most resilient, longest lived monarchs in modern history. Her unusually long reign had many ups and downs, and her own political views changed as she aged. Agnessa outlived all three of her children, and is the most recent Sovereign to willingly abdicate her throne.

Known for: Extremely long reign, stabilizing the realm both socially and economically, changing political alliances with eventual conservatism.

### Before Coronation

Agnessa II was the oldest child of her mother, Sovereign Sofia V. The young Prince was academically promising, but much to her mother’s chagrin, showed no talent at all for either combat or strategy. During much of her childhood, her mother was completely absent, off to fight battles in the west. As such, Agnessa grew far more attached to her servants and teachers rather than her own family. She was well-liked in court and a particular favorite of many of the staff.

Made Viceroy in 1097 at the age of 21, most of her duties were related to economic and diplomatic endeavors, as her mother was always far more interested in the military. Her mother was a somewhat overbearing Sovereign and as such, left little room for Agnessa to gain achievements of her own during her time as Viceroy.

When Sofia died in 1105, Agnessa was crowned Sovereign Agnessa II. Her younger brother would serve as Viceroy.

### Reign

Agnessa’s first project as monarch was to set in motion many public projects, especially in the newly acquired and former border territories that had suffered most from the wars of the past hundred odd years. These included the construction of several new bridges and roadways, ascoulian places of worship, and simple housing projects. The promise of work drove many to move into these areas, revitalizing their economy and trade.

Agnessa took a personal interest in further development, and worked closely with her advisers and experts to make the most out of these new lands. Many formerly rare products and food items became common in households all across the Empire, spurred on by her improvements to infrastructure.

The first twenty  years of Agnessa’s reign are thus remembered as a time of progress and economic growth - and a kind of globalization within the Empire itself. However, as Agnessa grew older, her interest in trying out new things dimmed. She had always been commoner-minded in her work and decisions, but when she aged and traveling became less pleasant, she slowly moved towards a more traditional, classist nobles-first approach.

During her later years, perhaps partially spurred by the tragedy of the death of her oldest child before her, Agnessa was grouchy, conservative and often almost unnecessarily stern. Her moods colored the entirety of court life, turning the theater of it into something more of a formal gathering.

Eventually, at the respectable age of 92 years, Agnessa abdicated the throne in favor of her oldest grandchild, Viktor II.

### Last Years and Death

After her abdication, Agnessa retired to live in the south, and stayed almost completely away from the court life at the capital. Still, even in her old age and with her somewhat foul temper, she possessed enough natural charisma to gather her own, miniature court in the south - to the point where the Sovereign had to remind her that she was no longer the monarch, and should not be issuing edicts to her adoring southern subjects.

Agnessa died in her sleep in 1074, aged 98 years. Her reign was amongst the longest in history, and she lived to be the second oldest of all Ascoulian monarchs.

## Personal

### Children

3

Sofia V was the last warrior-sovereign - that is, a ruler who had to live through and lead during a full-scale war with another nation. She was a powerful, determined wartime ruler who often led from the front lines, but never forgot the importance of good organization.

Known for: Prowess in combat and as a strategist, pacifying the last remnants of western defense, reorganizing the army both during and after the war to serve more efficiently in new duties.

### Before Coronation

Sofia V was not born a Prince - being the second child of a second child, and with her uncle, Sovereign Adrian III already having a child of his own, there was no reason to expect that she would ever rule. Instead, Sofia received a typical noble education, preparing her for an eventual high-profile marriage to one of the other powerful Houses.

In 1069, when Sofia was fourteen years old, everything changed. Her cousin, Prince Viktor, died tragically in a border skirmish, leaving the elderly Sovereign Adrian III without a legitimate heir of his own. Already frail from old age, it seemed unlikely that Adrian would father another child, and so the title of Crown Prince - and that of Viceroy - was given instead to Sofia’s mother, Elvira, who was the Sovereign’s younger sister. The education of Sofia’s older brother, Aleksei, now shifted towards preparing him for rule.

Adrian III and Sofia’s mother died from the same winter cold in early 1076. Sofia’s older brother was crowned Sovereign Aleksei III. The 23 year old had received very little in terms of a royal education, and spent his reign fighting corruption within the court machinery and upper levels of the army. Sofia became his Viceroy, and assisted her brother in all stately matters, but especially in creation of new and more efficient legislation to prevent corruption.

By 1079, Aleksei III was reportedly exhausted, and spent little time in public. He abdicated the throne in 1080 in favor of his sister after a mutual decision that she had the stronger temper and heart for ruling.

### Reign

During her coronation in 1080, Sofia V was 25 years old. Despite her life and future having been thrown upside down in just eleven years, she took well to her new role. However, the promise of a young, inexperienced ruler provoked their enemies in the west to launch a campaign to reclaim some lost territory.

Sofia V may have been inexperienced, but what she lacked in training she had in sheer brilliance and willingness to learn. For a monarch, she was admirably humble, eagerly learning from generals, captains and common soldiers alike, wanting to master each aspect of warfare. She made sweeping but well-planned changes to restructure her military, making for efficient chains-of-command and information. It was this modernized war machine that rolled over the remnants of western independent states during the war of 1081-1090. After 9 years of fighting, the last of the petty kings was killed, and the region pacified and unified under empire rule.

After almost ten years of fighting away from the capital, Sofia returned home as a celebrated hero. She finally had the ability to settle down and be with her family, and perhaps due to this, did not travel much for the remainder of her reign.

Working from the capital by her network of trusted allies, spies and bureaucrats, Sofia kept close tabs on everything happening in her domain.

Her major project during this time was restructuring the army again - still utilizing the new, efficient chains of communication she had created, but now reforging them to fit tasks of peacekeeping, patrol and police work, rather than active military duty. As such, she is credited with the formation of the modern ascoulian armed force.

In her later years, Sofia suffered regularly from re-emerging pains from her old war wounds. She eventually died, at the age of 50, from an old, reopened wound becoming infected. Sofia V was succeeded by her oldest daughter, Agnessa II.