Valendor II Besieged
Valendor II he took over the throne at a time when part of the nobility already rejected the very idea that the crown should be inherited without a new election. His rule was challenged from day one and almost immediately escalated into war. Although he ended the first power conflict and won militarily, he did not gain real confidence. The Second Power War then tore the entire empire into two blocs and over the long years exhausted its finances, army and legitimacy. Valendor II he entered history as the last emperor of the Ariers family, who could still win battles, but ultimately lost the war itself for the right to rule.
Dynastic Information
A crown rejected by part of the empire
Valendor II he ascended the throne without a new imperial election, and this was the fatal blow to his legitimacy. Already at the coronation, it was clear that part of the aristocracy did not accept him. The absence of the nobility from the ceremony was not only indecency, but a political gesture that publicly showed that the old consensus had broken down. When some of the clans declared war the very next day, it was clear that the new government would not start with administration, but with survival. The Poldech family took the lead in demanding new imperial elections, and the Okoliochs and smaller families joined their camp. It was also symptomatic for the emperor that some great families, such as the Magnurs and Youlenders, remained neutral. It was not an open betrayal, but a clear signal that enthusiasm for the Arier crown was lacking.
The first power war and victory without reconciliation
The First Power War lasted from 986 to 994 and initially consisted of minor skirmishes, sieges and scattered moves. The Imperial side had the advantage in that the opposition could not for a long time coalesce into a truly united struggle. Valendor took advantage of this weakness and gradually occupied castles and cities until the non-rebels formed a more coherent army against him. The decisive moment was the Battle of Yellow Fields. There, the Imperial army was victorious with a cleverly led tactic of feigned cavalry retreat that broke the coalition formations before the battle actually took place. The victory was followed by the capitulation of the opponents, and Valendor showed only limited leniency. He let the family lines live, but had the resistance leader executed. In doing so, he won the war, but not the heart of the empire.
The Second Power War and the emperor between the two halves of the empire
The peace after the first war was only temporary. Many nobles were convinced that Valendor would eventually eliminate their opposition anyway if given the chance. In 997, therefore, the Second Power War broke out, this time much more extensive. The empire effectively split into two halves. The center and south sided more with the emperor, while the east, west and north became the basis of the rebellion. Jan from the Youlender family eventually became the leader of the resistance, although Cecil Poldech initially led the rebel camp. His death in an assassination attempt, which was attributed to the Emperor's side, changed the moral image of the entire conflict. When the hired goblin assassins were caught and killed, many nobles stopped doubting who was responsible. From that moment on, Jan became not only a successful military leader, but also a symbol of righteous resistance.
The last years and the fall from the tower
Valendor II he was able to demonstrate strength even during the Great Power War. In 1012, he still won the famous Clash of the Five Houses, when the imperial army defended the hills and broke three rebel attacks before counterattacking. It was Jan Youlender's first big defeat. But one victory was not enough. In the following years, the weight of the war shifted against the emperor, his treasury was emptied, trade weakened and the army ceased to have anything to live on. When even the first line of defense collapsed in 1023, Valendor understood that the game was over. His opponents would not give him peace if he remained on the throne, and there was nothing to lead to further resistance. That's why he decided to commit suicide. On the 48th, Aestharu jumped from his tower to the courtyard. His death was both a personal downfall and a symbolic end to the Arian reign. The surname Besieged describes him exactly. He was not a weakling from the first moment, but a monarch whose entire reign took place under pressure, until finally he was besieged by his own fate.