Rulers of the Roanian Nation
Over the course of history, the Divine Imperium has had many rulers. Some of them are lost in the mists of time, such as the vast majority of the Presidents of Rudan. Others are sadly all too well-known, such as the ShadowMaster Merrech or Lord-Emperor Alexander II. All dates are in the Common Parlance, and names are written, as per custom when dealing internationally, in Standard. Thus, Alexander instead of Ailessanro.
Contents
Empire of the Twin Lamps
Colonisation of Rudan Prime(2400)
Colonisation occured around the year 2400, under the command of Captain Derrick. It is believed that the ship he personally led was named the Intrepid.
Captain Derrick
Captain Derrick (????-2430)has been described as a tall, short, balding, long-haired, fat, thin, ugly, beautiful man. Only two things are known about Derrick with any certainty. First, that he was named Derrick. And second, that he never went to the continent that is currently named for him.
The Republic of Rudan (2450-2840)
Little information remains about this period of history, owing to the ShadowMaster Merrech's concerted effort to erase Roanian history prior to his take-over. What is known comes to us from fragments of archaic political texts, such as A Child's Guide to Roanian History and Roanian Politics: A Study. The following is a small selection of the known presidents.
President Simon
First president of Rudan (2450-2455). Mentioned in A Child's Guide and Roanian Politics. Organised the first expansion of settlement from Roan to Agua, and from Agua to Derricks.
President Lucas
President Lucas (2760-2770) was President of Rudan according to Roanian Politics. Under his leadership Altara was finally settled and an expedition was sent out to explore the neighbouring star systems. He had a wife named Grace and two children.
President Georges
Last President of Rudan (2840). A liberal, rationalist president, his sole purpose in the historical record was to be swept aside on the evening of his inaguration by the ArchMage Merrech. Died in agony.
Roanian Empire of Shadow (2840-3342)
The Roanian Empire of Shadow was created in the work of a week from the remains of its predescessor. Shadow-Lord Merrech, the Archmage of Roan, had spent nearly fifty years planning the coup that propelled him to power, with his own agents taking control and subverting regiments and citizens. by the end of 2840, apart from the forests of Altara he had total control of the planet. And, indeed, its colonies on Altecrast.
Under the Shadow Empire, powerful wizards controlled the nation and compelled people to obey them through fear and magic. Technology stagnated and much that was once known was lost.
Shadow-Lord Merrech
Merrech, Shadow-Lord from 2840-3341, is the bogeyman of Roanian children's tales. A powerful mage and a dangerous politician, his early life is a mystery. He appeared in the Tower of Tears one day and simply took over the role of Archmage. For 20 years he provided valuable knowledge and aid to the Presidency, until in 2840 he struck and took over, declaring himself Shadow-Lord.
Under his rule, religions were shut down, scientists exiled, travel forbidden, and the people forced to obey his increasingly draconian measures. Merrech himself often referred to a Greater Darkness that he acted on behalf of and led religious ceremonies in the name of.
In the last decade of his rule, increasingly erratic behaviour led to the successful formation of a Rebellion under Lord-General Joseph Black of Agua. Merrech's supporters were overpowered, and finally after the disastrous Battle of Roslin in 3341 he was overthrown by Illyich.
Shadow-Lord Urylan
Urylan is one of those mysteries of the Imperium. Until the publication of the book Paragon of Darkness (Father Reynolds; Castleton Publishing, Castleton 5985) he was dismissed as a minor footnote, only notable as the man who finally ended the Empire of Shadow in 3342. In actuality, he made many attempts over the year to hold onto Merrech's possessions and make peace with the 'rebellion' which now held the majority of the planet's surface.
It was all to no avail and in March of 3342 he surrendered in the Temple of Darkness to Louis DeRachelieu's forces, to be taken into custody and never see the light of day again. He is believed to have been executed.
Divine Imperium (3350 - Present)
After the fall of the Empire of Shadow, for 8 years the generals argued about what form the new government should take. There were two factions, those in favour of a Monarchy and those in favour of a Democracy. Eventually a compromise was reached, creating what can be called a Pseudo-Constitutional Monarchy, in which the day-to-day business would be carried out by an elected government, and the Monarch would have the final control over the government. In practice this has worked to a greater and lesser degree over the Imperium's history, with some such as Cassander hardly interfering in democratic business at all, while Alexander II personally executed 15 ArchChancellors. Over a 20 year period.
From this point on, the Imperium has made use of Imperial Reckoning, which goes from the foundation of the Imperium onwards. To find the date in the common reckoning, simply add 3349.
Lord-Emperor Joseph (the Great)
Reigned from IR 1 to IR 60
Before he ascended to the Imperial Diadem, Joseph Black was a high-ranking officer in the ShadowGuard. One of the first Generals to switch sides with his forces following the Battle of Lucris, his knowledge of ShadowGuard tactics and political acumen meant that following the death of Roderick Gaunt he quickly took control of the rebellion, making the Empire of Shadow suffer blow after crippling blow.
Once the Empire of Shadow was destroyed, Joseph was one of those in favour of a return to the republic, a fact frequently forgotten by his detractors. Only when the idea of the Imperium of Rudan was firmly established did he consent to have his name placed forward for the throne, in competition to Lord-General Leopold Darquis and Admiral Nicademus Darsalin. The others stepped aside on his behalf, and he ascended easily. He himself created many of the great noble houses of the Imperium, establishing the Darquis and Drakharn families, amongst others.
However, perhaps his most important act was when he consented, in IR15, to be baptized into the Worship of the Light. From the moment he joined the Imperial Church of the Light, its rise was guaranteed.
Greater Black Dynasty
The Greater Blacks are those directly descended from Joseph's eldest son, Nicholas I
Nicholas I (The Just)
Reigned from IR 60 to IR 190
The eldest son of Joseph Black, he was the first Lord-Emperor to be crowned in the great Cathedral of the Church. A devout churchman, he forced upon parliament a bill that forbade the recreation of the old colleges of magic, and exiled the remaining magi from the Imperium. Patriarch Tylan, in recognition of his services to the Church and the Light, bestowed upon the Black Family, in perpetuam, the title of 'Blessed of the Light'.
Under his reign, contact was made with the Novy Zemlya, Chernobog and Midpoint systems. All were colonised. Further, the colonies on Altecrast were returned to political control by the homeplanet.
Nicholas II (The Unfortunate)
Reigned from IR 190 to IR 200
During his reign, the Church was declared the First and Only Faith of the Imperium. First contact was made with the Salamandri of Hs-Rk. First reference was made to the Divine Imperium. However, also during his reign the First Imperial Civil War began, with uprisings occuring across the nation. The Imperial City of Tarnaqin itself was taken by rebels, and Nicholas II committed suicide upon the enemy reaching the palace.
Alexander I (The Commander)
Reigned from IR 200 to IR 470
After witnessing his brother's suicide, Alexander crowned himself and stepped forward to take command of the Legionnaires guarding the walls of his palace. With the immortal battlecry of 'In My Name, kill or I'll kill you!' as their watchcry, the inspired soldiers forced the enemy so far from the palace that the defensive line stabilised at Blackport, nearly 800 miles away.
Once the Imperium was secured, Alexander indulged himself with not just a proper coronation but also a glorious wedding, one of the most expensive in Imperial History, to Lady Lorien Darquis. The remainder of his reign was one of rapid conquest and extension of Imperial power. On each planet, the Imperial Garrison Forces followed their orders precisely, leading to the defeat and destruction of the local kingdoms and tribes, and the scattering and subjugation of the people. Not for the purpose of conquest and adding the people to the Imperium. Instead, it was purely for the purpose of seizing control of the territory and preventing others from doing so first. This policy has been followed studiously to this day, so that even if individuals or communities might request the Imperial Franchise, the vast majority of the natives are either part of the background scenery of the world, or a threat that occasionally surfaces and needs to be beaten back down.
His reign was also remarkable for its length, as he was the first to hold the Diadem for more than 200 years. However, perhaps his most enduring legacy was his failure to provide a male heir, meaning that the throne passed after his eventual death to his daughter, the Princess Malissa.
Lady-Empress Malissa (The Beautiful)
Reigned from IR 470 to IR 730
Lady-Empress Malissa the Beautiful was the first Empress of the Divine Imperium. Her father had almost certainly planned for her succession from the time she was born, so that upon his death all that really remained was the rubber-stamp of parliament. Her reign was mostly peaceful.
However, her famed beauty did lead to minor problems, including on two occasions a full-scale riot between supporters of her various suitors. When she finally married, the nation celebrated with a mandated ten years of celebrations.
In the later years of her reign, rivalries between political parties began to grow, culminating in a coup by the First Imperial Military Party.
Lord-Emperor Damien (The Terrible)
IR 730 IR 999
Damien came to power through the death of his mother, an act which has been translated as 'kinslaying' by Elven, and thus Human, sources. Under his leadership Roanian expansion was blunted by Menelmacar and Tor Yvresse in what the Roanians term the 'War of the Darkness', and the Eldar just term the Roanian War.
This defeat led directly to Damien's destruction at the hands of his cousin Daniel.
Lesser Black Dynasty
Lord-Emperor Daniel (The Gentle)
Reigned IR 999 to IR 1150
Under Daniel, a peacetreaty was signed with the Eldar and they withdrew from the worlds they had occupied. The military began its long trend towards defensiveness, with expansion halted while Roanians struggled to consolidate.
Lady-Empress Elizabeth (The Kind)
Reigned IR 1150 to IR 1460
Elisabeth ruled well, though very little has been heard outside the Divine Imperium about her reign.
Lord-Emperor Nicholas III (The Absent)
IR 1460 to 1490
Nicholas III was a very ill Roanian, who over the 30 years of his reign progressively declined until by the 20th he was unable to move. Revolts began in Imperial provinces, and it was with a sense of relief that he died, enabling his uncle Marius to take the throne.
Lord-Emperor Marius (The Soldier)
IR 1490 to 1520
Marius, who had initially refused the throne on the grounds of advancing age, swiftly put an end to the revolts in a series of brutal campaigns that he led personally, the last Roanian Lord-Emperor to do so. Such details as have emerged suggest that he was slain by the Salamandri Chief Trsk in the Battle of Mariel's Fall.
Lord-Emperor Daniel II (The Priest)
IR 1520 to IR 2000
Daniel ruled the Divine Imperium in one of the longest reigns to date, and was responsible for many positive reforms. The Salamandri rejoined the Imperium under a mandate declaring them 'partners of the torch', thus placing them on a similar level to the Roanians in the running of Empire.
Lord-Emperor Edward (The Fat)
IR 2000 to IR 2490
Which were sadly neglected by his son, Edward, who in the first twenty years of his reign attempted to launch a purge of the elven population, leading to the Menelmacari assault that put an end once and for all to Roanian expansion and independent policy in foreign affairs. Following that, despite Edward's retainal of power, very little new was introduced and the Divine Imperium stagnated.
A question exists about his death (see the article for his son.)
Lord-Emperor Alexander II (The Dark)
Reigned from IR2490 to IR2740
Far too much is known in Sol about this black-named ruler to be summarised here. View his own article Alexander Black.
Drakharn Dynasty
Lord-Emperor Cassander
Current Lord-Emperor
Current incumbent. Little known in Sol owing to his policy of handling Solar affairs by a viceroy. See Roania.
