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POLITHOS
Infamous Emperor of the Corianth Empire (76-96 LC) who ascended the throne through guile and deception, tricking the Holy Father Nestormon II into placing him upon the throne as an interim measure which Polithos full exploited to receive full imperial power. Emperor Polithos became reviled by history and overseas kingdoms, especially Eptemia and Alithidel, though his name, deeds, and memory are still respected among the more fanatical of the Order of Omicron, including Father Dinemetis.
Emperor Polithos was a vicious religious fanatic, who saw the slow absorption of supposed heathen philosophies as a weakness and disease that he must purify. Instituting a strict orthodoxy within the Corianth Empire, he concentrated the power of the Order of Omicron into a more malleable College of Cardinals, whom he had elect a series of puppet Holy Fathers to preach his crusade against the pagan.
Once he felt he had cowed the populace enough through trials and punishments, he launched a series of crusades overseas, conquering for gold and converting prisoners by sword, where they had not already been tortured or killed.
Eventually, the armies abroad turned against the authority of Polithos, resenting the loss of their loot to an Emperor thousands of miles away, many armies of which returning enriched to demand power for themselves. Polithos eventually acceded to their demands, but this resulted in political instability that would later erupt as the First Civil War in 125 LC.
However, even these submissions could not guarantee Polithos his power, the empire in general being in revolt, especially around the figurehead of Theothan Orixos and his March of Thousands.
When faced with defeat and removal, he finally submitted to a number of conditions curtailing his individual powers, while the various kingdoms attempted to reconcile strife within their own borders.
Emperor Polithos died of natural causes after a twenty year reign, the last years of which he was allowed to exercise very little real power. He was succeeded by Armon I. |
