Interregnum Archive: A Complete List of the Known Emperors of Cyrodiil

By Eranor Dorn'ke, Historian, published 2E 618

The following is a comprehensive list of all the known Emperors and Empresses of Cyrodiil, regardless of their general reception, claim to the throne, and length of reign. In these dark ages since the fall of the Second Empire, such information is vital to be remembered when the next stable Empire comes into power of Cyrod.

#Alessian Empire

  • Alessia: (1E 243 - 266) Also known as Saint Alessia, Al-Esh, the Slave-Queen, Paravant, Lady of Heaven, end so on. The first known non-Ayleid individual to take the throne and rule a united Cyrodiil after leading a successful revolt. Visited by Shezarr and/or Akatosh on her deathbed in 1E 266; had a child with Morihaus Breath-of-Kyne.

  • Belharza: (1E 266 - 322) The Man-Bull was the son of Alessia and Morihaus, as well as the second Emperor of Cyrod. Despite being in power during the height of Minotaur acceptance, Belharza received mixed points of views from the citizens of his empire. He died in 1E 322, with carvings on the ancient Belharza Stone suggesting at the hands of his own soldiers.

  • Ami-El: (1E 322 - 376) Belharza's son, Ami-El was considered the first stepping stone in purifying the Alessian bloodline of "sinful" Minotaur blood, having been born to a Nedic mother and very few bull-like feature. Ami-El participated in a number of minor wars and battles, though was in the seat of power when the Alessian Order's coup d'etat of 1E 361 occurred. Used then on as an unenthusiastic puppet-figure, the Order forced him to order the last Ayleid "devils" out of Cyrod. He was secretly poisoned by his own daughter in 1E 376.

  • Carina: (1E 376 - 453) Carina the Beautiful, or Karina the Loved in Nibenay, the fourth ruler of the Empire. Her rule was generally met with peace among the Empire's citizens, and was noted for her kindness. Little records of her are present, though it is said she valued the Order more than her claim to the throne. Died in 1E 453 of natural causes.

  • Vespas: (1E 453 - 461) Son of Carina, Vespas is arguably the shortest-ruling Emperor of the Alessian period. While crowned at an already old age, Vespas still managed to leave his mark by improving foreign relationships in the brief 8 years he ruled. Following his death, this paved the way for the grand coronation of his son Gorieus.

  • Gorieus: (1E 461 - 478) Stricter than his father before him, what Gorieus lacked in humor he made up for in exquisite skills on the battlefield. However, his downfall came when he battled Rislav Larich, and in turn caused the decline of the Empire itself.

  • Unknown: (1E 478 - 999) The period between Gorieus and Hestra is generally an unclear blur. Little to none records of the Empire during this time exist, though it is unlikely this was the fault of a Dragon Break.

  • Hestra: (1E 999 - 1052) The fearsome Empress of the mid First Era, crowned on the 9th of Hearthfire. She defeated the Reachmen warlord Red Eagle and returned the Alessian Empire to its glory. She was succeeded by her son Shor-El after passing away in 1E 1052.

  • Shor-El: (1E 1052 - 1109) Sometimes believed to be an aspect of Shor, but in truth merely named after the Nordic god. Little is known of Shor-El, though his soul is still present in the Amulet of Kings and his comments on the Dragon Break are one of the only known mentions of him.

  • Neroja: (1E 1109 - 1163) At the moment the last recorded Emperor before the Middle Dawn. He is believed to have witnessed the rise of the Marukhti Selectives, before his successor experienced the Middle Dawn of 1E 1200.

  • Unknown: (1E 1163 - 2703) As a result of the Middle Dawn, the rulers of the Alessian Empire remain unknown due to the unusual circumstances affecting Cyrodiil. After the War of Righteousness, Cyrodiil entered its first Interregnum.

#Reman Empire

  • Reman Cyrodiil: (1E 2703 - 2762) Said to have been born with the Red Diamond on his forehead, Reman soon conquered all of Cyrodiil. His Empire continously gained substantial territory even after his death. He is sometimes venerated as Reman of the "Worldly God" by the Imperials.

  • Kastav Cyrodiil: (1E 2762 - 2806) Known for the Winterhold Rebellion, Kastav was subsequently deposed following his death for his poor method of handling the situation. His son Reman II succeeded him.

  • Reman Cyrodiil II: (1E 2806 - 2851) Named for his grandfather before him, Reman the Second was a master tactitian and strategist. His skills in successfully incorporating the foreign provinces into the Empire are still famed, and he consecrated a blood seal with the legendary Sky Haven Temple in 1E 2818. He died in 1E 2851 during the Four-Score War with Morrowind, and was succeeded by Potentate Brazollus Dor.

  • Brazollus Dor: (1E 2851 - 2877) Sometimes considered an interregnum himself, Dor ruled the Ruby Throne before Reman III was eligible for it. However, he spent most of his time residing in Skingrad, instead leaving most of the Empire's matters to the wise Sidri-Ashak.

  • Reman Cyrodiil III: (1E 2877 - 2920) The focus of the 2920 book series, Reman continued fighting the Four-Score War his father died in. He imprisoned his wife Tavia in Black Marsh, whom sent an assassin to kill him. However, the assassin only managed to kill his would-be heir Juliek, and Reman was later assassinated by the Morag Tong at the dawn of the First Era in 2920, causing the Akaviri Potentate.

  • Versidue-Shaie: (2E 0 - 324) The first Akaviri to hold official command over the Ruby Throne, he declared marital law after his predecessor's death, and passed the Guild Act in 2E 321. He was assassinated by the Morag Tong in 2E 324 in Senchal, with the assassins so drunk with murder they wrote their faction's name in the Potentate's blood.

  • Savirien-Chorak: (2E 324 - 430) A close friend of Prince Juliek Cyrodiil in the waning years of the First Era, Chorak took the Ruby Throne hundreds of years after the dark events. Not much of Chorak's reign is known, besides his approval of granting Orsinium provincial status, and he and all his heirs were assassinated in 2E 430 or 431, causing the second Interregnum.

#Interregnum

  • Unknown: (2E 430 - 483) A long and bloody unclear gash in Cyrodiil's history, the time between Chorak's death and Aldwyr's rise is shrouded in mystery. Perhaps the Ruby Throne lay collecting dust for the decades of this time.

  • Humahd ra-Aldwyr: (2E 483- 496) The only recorded Redguard and first known stable Emperor to rule Cyrodiil during the Interregnum, Humahd was not well liked by the Imperials. He managed to take the Ruby Throne by convincing a number of Crowns and Forebears alike to fight alongside him. He was overthrown in 1E 496 in the Colovian Highlands by the Cyro-Kothri Deshnu Vandacia, after a bloody two-year war.

  • Deshnu Vandacia: (2E 496 - 528) The Imperial-Kothringi Empress who claimed to be a descendant of Zuuk. She took the Imperial City after Aldwyr's soldiers surrendered following the news of his death. Vandacia's reception was better received by the people of Cyrodiil, and though while she was not a pure Imperial, her connection to the Reman hero Zuuk helped support to fortify her claim. In her elderly years, Vandacia was slain on the steps of the Ruby Throne by Durcorach the Black Drake, but put up such a fight that the Reachman was left with scars hard to overlook.

  • Durcorach: (2E 528 - 541) The first Longhouse Emperor, Durcorach was convincing by uniting the widespread Reachmen clans to assist him in taking Cyrodiil and exploiting the power his people would recieve. Alas, Durcorach's greed was his downfall, and he was slain by Emeric in the attempted invasion of his homeland, High Rock.

  • Moricar: (2E 541 - 563) Son of Durcorach and Veraxia and second of the disliked Longhouse Emperors, Moricar was successful in keeping the Covenant's forces from advancing into Cyrod and fought valiantly against the border skirmishers. After his death, his son Leovic took the throne.

  • Leovic: (2E 563 - 576) The final Longhouse Emperor, Leovic's downfall came when he legalized the worship of the Daedric Princes within the Empire. His once loyal supporter, Varen Aquilarios, led a bloodly rebellion against the Reachman and slew Leovic in 2E 576. Leovic's corpse was subsequently thrown into the Imperial Sewers, and the Imperial Province now once again had a noble and honorable ruler.

  • Varen Aquilarios: (2E 576 - 579) A well-liked and clever Emperor, Varen was said to have been constantly bothered by his lack of Dragonblood, and considered himself to be a false emperor. In 2E 577, he formed the Five Companions, and after two years they recovered the legendary Amulet of Kings. Abnur, Varen, and Mannimarco performed a ritual to legitimize Varen's claim, though the foul King of Worms deceived Varen and tore a rift between the realms of Mundus and Oblivion. Varen later disappeared, though in truth he went under the alias of The Prophet after reading numerous Elder Scrolls, and assisted the mysterious Vestige in thwarting Molag Bal.

  • Clivia Tharn: (2E 579 - 582) The widow of Leovic and later consort of Varen, Clivia was a member of House Tharn of Nibenay and took the mantle of Empress Regent upon herself following her husband's disappearance. It is said she practiced the dark arts with the Worm King Mannimarco, causing her to follow his every word, though after a trip to the Temple of the Ancestor Moths her ethics changed after seeing her now blind husband preaching to the people of Tamriel. She disappeared a few months before the Planemeld, some sources saying she took refuge with the Direnni on the Isle of Balfiera, others saying she captured the White-Gold Tower from Bal's clutches during the Planemeld.

  • The Pretenders: (2E 582 - 616) Many, many short-lived Emperors and Empresses took the throne, though few ever even sat on it. Their names have been lost to history, and their alliance was either with the Aldmeri Dominion, Daggerfall Covenant, or Ebonheart Pact. Their reigns ended following the end of the Alliance War in 2E 613.

  • Saprius Calidia: (2E 616 - Present) The current Emperor of Cyrodiil, Saprius has gradually been trying to rebuild the Empire following the end of the long and bloody Three-Banners War. The citizens of Cyrod support him greatly, mainly hoping that the bloodshed on their lands has come to a stop and that they will rise once again as the magnificent Heart of Tamriel.