Theodore III Tough
Theodore III he took office at a time when the second golden age had definitively passed away and the empire began to face stagnation. After a long time, the urban population was experiencing a decline in living comfort and the economy was losing its former elasticity. Theodore had to deal with an eastern nomadic rebellion led by Endoretus, a family conspiracy of Augustus, and a crisis of an oversaturated market. He acted harshly, uncompromisingly and often with a willingness to distort the truth to his advantage. Still, he managed to hold the empire together, quell opposition, and stem the worst of the economic downturn by banning further mining of precious stones.
Dynastic Information
Emperor after the end of comfort
Theodore III he came to the throne at a time when the empire could no longer benefit from the ease of the second golden age. After a long time, city dwellers began to feel that they could not afford everything that they had previously taken for granted. The market was oversaturated, incomes were falling and the atmosphere among people was deteriorating. Theodore did not rule in a time of immediate collapse, but in a time of mounting pressure. It is precisely such a period that is dangerous for the monarch, because dissatisfaction does not have a single cause, but spreads slowly and to many layers of society.
Endoret and the Battle of Malga
The greatest internal threat at the beginning of his reign was the eastern nomadic rebellion. Although the former nomadic inhabitants were assimilated for a long time, their relationship to the freedom of the steppe did not disappear. The young warlord Endoret united the rebellions in the cities of Coulim, Tarakulina, and Fire Rock, took control of some of the border towers, and summoned nomads from outside the realm. Theodore assembled five battalions and sent them against Endoretus, who had built a fortified camp by Lake Malga. The battle lasted almost four hours. Fortifications and pits narrowed the space for the Imperial army, but the mages set fire to the camp, forcing Endoreto to choose between burning, water, and surrender. Because he could not swim, he surrendered and was publicly executed in 1346.
Theodore counterintelligence
Theodor later had to face a conspiracy from his own family. His distant cousin Augustus began to convince the nobility and court figures that the imperial crown was weak and that he was the one who could restore the empire to its former glory. He tried bribes and collusion, but miscalculated several times. When Theodore received evidence from multiple sources, he acted immediately. He threw Augustus into prison and arrested fifteen other people. The process, known as Theodore's counterintelligence, was closely watched. The emperor did not want to appear weak, so he had some things redacted and bribed witnesses. In 1353, six people including Augustus were executed, eight were sentenced to life imprisonment and the rest were severely punished.
The ban on mining and the death of a drunkard
In later years, Theodore tried to pacify the empire with diplomatic pacts and the limitation of conflicts. However, the economic situation remained bad. Business was declining, the market was oversaturated, and even precious stones were plummeting in value. Therefore, the emperor banned further mining of precious stones and rare materials except for ore and common materials. This move earned him criticism from some lords, but towards the end of his life the economy was beginning to recover from its worst. Theodor died of liver failure. He was known to be a heavy drinker and could drink several liters of hard liquor in a single evening. After his death, the very young Untred III had to take the throne.