Eligius

Origins and early life

Eligius was born in 738 AP to prince Tiberius , son of Emperor Numerian IV and princess Verina of Cloudia. His father had been appointed as governor of the ancient Imperial capital, which was in the process of being rebuilt by the new Imperial authorities, half a century after its reconquest from the hands of the barbarians. He was the oldest of 4 siblings (the other being Marcian, who followed a ecclesiastical career and became archpriest of Ikaria and later High Priest of Blati, Heraclius, later governor of Signoria and Master of the Sacred Treasury, Martina and Valeria). It was said that the young boy spent a lot of his free time exploring the ruins of the old city and that it was also educated by the greatest minds of the city.   In 753 AP his father was recalled to Blati by the new Emperor Heraclius V, Eligius's uncle. He and his family moved there, living in their old palace east of the Hippodrome, near Zerah's gate. And later they moved to the Imperial Palace. In 755 , his father Tiberius was appointed Count of Dubris and he launched a campaign against the last remnants of the kingdom of Astrasia, effectively reconquering the country for the Blatians. In this campaign, as expected of every young Blatian aristocrat, Eligius took part as a military tribune, serving in the 4th legion of the Bocentians, and that he and his unit hold the line during an unsuccessful ambush attempt by the Astrasians. He probably took part in the Triumphal parade of his father in 757 AP and later he joined the Imperial Guard as a "Candidatus" in order to finish his military service, Nothing is known about him until 762 AP when his uncle made him marry Adalwif, daughter of king Hermeric of the Arnuvians.   Heraclius V died in 769 AP and was succeeded by his eldest son, Valentinian IV . But he quickly became increasingly more unpopular day by day, Eligius was named Patrician, effectively becoming a senator. He became dissatisfied with the emperor and when news of the rebellion of Alexius, Valentinian's brother and Master of the Troops, he took his family out of the capital and joined the pretender. With Alexius's victory at the battle of Tremissium in 771 AP and his coronation as Alexius V Eligius was rewarded with the consulship the following year and later his appointment as Quaestor of the Sacred Palace; the senior legal authority, responsible for drafting laws.  

From Imperial Prince to Protector of the Empire

During the reign of Alexius, Eligius became one of the most powerful figures of the Empire, he appointed members of his family, like his brother Heraclius to the highest offices of the state, when a dispute broke out between the clergy of Blati, about who should succeed the recently deceased High Priest, some influential families began to fight for the position, even a revolt broke out between the various parties. Tired of this situation, the emperor appointed Eligius as Master of Offices and with the command of the Imperial Guard he arrested both candidates under the charges of treason and rebellion against the Emperor and put his brother Marcian, already a very famous and loved priest to the highest position of the Reformed Church after the Emperor himself.  

Your Majesty, those who speak bad about me say that I'm moved by ambition, never, I say never, despite having imperial blood I've aspired to the throne! if I put my brother to this position is because I consider him to be the best candidate and the most loyal servant of his Majesty. Let him end the civil and religious strife and reconcile the faithful so that we not quarrel again like the times of the Petrines and the Iulians.

  788 AP mark the last great Nord raiding expedition, the fleet from the men of the north raided the coasts of the Northern Sea and headed towards Signoria. Eligius was now Master of Soldiers , the commander in chief of the Imperial Armies and with 28.000 men he headed east to face the Nord threat who had landed on the shores of the Suris Strait. At the battle of Alexiopolis in 789 AP Eligius destroyed the invading army capturing its leader Drogo "The Fearless" who was later executed. He held a triumph in Blati and was proclaimed as "Protector of the Empire" by the Emperor at the Hippodrome .  

Later Years

Eligius hold a second consulship in 795 alongside his eldest son, Felix. During his free time, he also wrote a book called "About the old Philosophers" in which he compares the old Blatian philosophers with the Seris ones. He also wrote an eulogy to her deceased sister Martina. In 799 his health began to deteriorate and he retired from politics, entering the Monastery of the Flowers as a monk, taking the name of Severus. He died in 803 AP being buried at the funerary chapel of the Monastery according to his last will. His marble sarcophagus has an inscription that says ( Brother Severus, also known as Eligius, son of Tiberius, an Imperial prince by blood, protector of the Empire and consul two times, may the Gods grant him a place at their table and palace, for he lived according to the teachings of the Prophet)  

Issue

Although at first the marriage between him and Adalwif wasn't very successful, both finally fell in love and the barbarian princess gave him 6 children:  

• Felix the Elder: Also known as "Dicorus" (two-pupiled") because he had the two eyes of different colours. Master of Soldiers and successful general under the reign of Xan II. He married Anastasia, the Emperor's niece. He also put down the revolt of Tiberius Boreas on the island of Vegus in 809 AP.
• Valens: Count of Bovoria and later Master of the Sacred Treasury during the reigns of Xan II and Theophilus I. He was an acclaimed historian who wrote a chronicle of the Blatian Empire from the First Siege of Blati to his time.
• Xan Eligianus: Diplomat, statesman and professor at the Academy of Blati. He was twice ambassador to the Republic of Valiaas well as to the Seris Empire.
• Marcia: Married Claudius Severianus, Senator and General under Xan II, She is the grandmother of Senator Claudius Scaevola.
• Constans: Married Pulcheria Dangiano, the daughter of one of the wealthiest families of the Republic of Valia, she acted as priest of the Goddess Zerah and later as head of the College of Priests of the city of Blati. He also became very wealthy due to production of olive oil in his states.
• Constantia: Married into the Lazaris family , She was one of the donors of the Monastery of the Flowers and she also paid for the restoration of a temple to the goddess Alara near Dubris (Including a new statue). She is the paternal grandmother of the current Master of Offices, Sergius. Constantia and Constans were twin brothers.