Constantine IX Vasa
Emperor Constantine IX (birth: Charles Alexander Zor-Mako-Vasa-Nassau) is the current King and Emperor of New Sarovia. Born in June to William Frederick Vasa (no correlation to the monarch, William of Sarovia) and Duchess Mary of the State, Constantine IX is the great grandson of Prime Minister Sir Alexander Vasa, and the great-great-great grandson of Emperor Constantine IV Zor-Mako who reigned from 223 AS to 226. After joining the army of the provincial subdivision of Sacro and rising the ranks, fighting in the Imperian campaigns and more. In November, he was elected by the Assembly of Peers to become the next monarch of New Sarovia, due to his Vasa lineage and friendship with Constantine VII, as well as being the oldest male Vasa in the House.
Royo y Imperad, Constantine IX | |
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 Official state portrait of Constantine IX, 2023. | |
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Titles: |
Holy Graalian Emperor, King of the Sarovians, Emperor of the Sarovian Commonwealth, Grand King of the State, King of Reuss, of Nassau, of Philippia, of Metternau, of Carolusburg and of the Oxerians, Patriarch of the Zors, Makos, and Vasas, Defender of the Faith, and Protector of the Realm. |
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Reign: |
275 AS to present |
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Predecessor: |
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Born: |
266 AS |
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Religion: |
Stefanist |
Constantine IX, also known as Grand King Constantine III of the State and King Constantine I of Philippia, Metternau, Carolusburg and the Oxerians, is known as the most popular Sarovian monarch in history, and the longest reigning. Constantine IX has been attributed many epithets over his reign, such as "Constantine the Great" (not to be confused with Constantine VI & I Vasa, "Constantine the Holy" and "Constantine the Blessed", but the main epithet that has been attributed to him has been "Constantine the Restorer".
Biography
Early Life
Born as Charles Alexander of Zor-Mako-Vasa-Nassau, he was born as a direct descendent of the famous Prime Minister Sir Alexander, the 1st Viscount Lochland, and of Constantine IV Mako, who he never actually met. Charles Alexander did not expect to ever become the monarch of New Sarovia due to being a member of an external branch of the family, and joining Sarovia as a friend of the Prime Minister. As such, he decided against joining the Imperial Army on the English side and instead commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Empire of Sacro, a Portuguese Vasa realm, to fight against Imperia in the Imperian Campaigns. This decision was approved and endorsed by the Prime Minister as a way to unite the two languages and their cultures.
Charles Alexander fought in numerous battles in the Imperian Campaigns, such as Poltava, Sorrel and the Homeland Reconquest in May of the year. He was injured in two separate battles, as well as leading a successful attack in Sorrel which resulted in a Sarovian victory. During the Campaigns, he was granted an honorary colonelcy in the Sovereign’s Battalion in the predecessor of the Royal Sarholm Regiment due to his connections, and was greatly involved with it, though never fought alongside it in an official capacity. As Honourary Colonel, he attended a few parades and oversaw increased proficency of the unit in battle. He witnessed the crisis of Constantine VII, the Abdication Crisis by the pretender Constantine VIII, the collapse of federal Sarovia and the emergence of the Reuss and Sacro commonwealths. Charles Alexander was originally offered the throne of the Reuss Commonwealth, but he did his best to try to avoid the Commonwealths from officially forming. He declined, himself a staunch Sarovian nationalist. His younger brother, Edward, accepted the throne from the Assembly of Peers. As King Edward II Vasa began reigning in Reuss, he joined as an aide-de-camp to his war council, ranked as Colonel Charles Alexander, Aide-de-Camp.
Sovereign
Upon the abdication of King Edward II, a succession crisis began. Two of Edward II's suspected heirs, Philip and Zacline, were considered for the throne. Stability was threatened if he chose the latter and the former was a staunch supporter of the New Sarovian Empire and not the Commonwealths. Upon the ascension of King Philip of Reuss, Charles Alexander was elected due to his noble bloodline to lead New Sarovia by the Assembly of Peers in an almost unanimous vote. From there, he took on the regnal name of Constantine IX, honouring his direct ancestors. The coronation was the biggest event in the Sarovian realm for months. No expense was spared, which essentially left the treasury empty. Constantine IX's coronation portrait was often ridiculed and mocked by the people, as most of the money was allocated towards the event. This humiliation was remedied when, a few months later, the Emperor would commission a new one.
Constantine IX immediately began issuing decrees opening up democratic reforms, and began elections for the Imperial Parliament's House of Commons. The Parliament initially had very limited scope, such as only focusing on cultural and domestic elements of the empire, but over the many years of his reign, he would further open up to democracy and shift most executive powers to the Prime Minister and his Cabinet, leading the globe as the most successful constitutional monarch.
From there, he began to restore the Imperial Army by formatting it into a regimental system and reestablishing I and II Corps. Under Constantine's leadership, the Empire rose to become the strongest land force in Graal and, on the 12th of December, the Grand Restoration Campaign began, leading to Sarovian reconquest over all its core territories. The War of the Fourth Coalition began and, for months, the Sarovians successfully fended off their rivals and continue to hold the land. Constantine IX married a descendant of Edward I, Katherine Vasa, early in his reign when she succeeded King Philip as Queen of Reuss. Through the act of marriage, the Kingdom of Reuss was officially abolished and brought into Sarovia federally. This proved popular with the Anglophone Sarovians, who longed for a return to the glory of old.
Exploration and Regency
Constantine IX oversaw the colonization of Philippia abroad in Roblox, as well as the expansion in GraalOnline Ol'West through the Three Colonies. Sarovian skirmishes with Aurean troops in the colonies led to mixed results, but Sarovian control over the southern islands were never truly threatened. Under his command, the Dominion of Philippia was grown into a successful democracy with over 100 members, and the Dominion of Metternau was added to his domain consisting of over forty. In the summer of 280 AS, due to an illness Constantine was bedridden and the Empire was overseen by the Prince Regent, John, his son and heir. Sarovian naval officials explored northwest for more lands, and found the continents of Boreas in 283 AS, and established the first colonies in Minecraft such as Constantia, Regency Bay, and Silvestre Landing. During the Regency, State troops would be mustered to aid Constantine IX and the Prince Regent when Vistian pretender rebels laid claim to the State crown once more. Sarovians, together with State troops, would skirmish and defeat them thrice.
Constantine would oversee the Metternau Bush War later on, when the Dominion of Metternau rebelled against the Sarovian crown. He, Admiral Ridgeway and and Prime Minister Sir al-Assad brought victory after victory at Bezi, Glane's Landing and Torchill Heights before finally bringing the Dominion back into the fold, and it was given to Admiral Ridgeway to be overseen. Constantine oversaw the construction of Rachaelsburg and Bellwood province, as well as the reconstruction of Gillsbury in Metternau, before turning his attention to helping design Constantia in Boreas, including the Legislative Assembly building and St. Clemens church, which he laid the founding stones to both.
Constantine would likewise expand the City of Sarholm three times its original size through the extensive use of the Vasa treasury and personally funded many barracks, arenas, and homes. Stenhammer, Borhaus and Leda Palace were all constructed under his personal supervision and design, and have become some of the most well known buildings of the city.
Jacobite Rebellion
During the Regency, the Kingdom of Nassau was annexed into New Sarovia, establishing firm federal authority. Returning later that summer, the Emperor oversaw the Jacobite Rebellion of 284 AS and the Jacobite Civil War, which led to the dissolution of the constituent Kingdoms. The Jacobite Rebellion was a hard fought campaign, with untold sufferings happening on both sides. Constantine IX firmly believed a victory could be won through diplomacy. Constantine maneuevered during the rebellion to take control of the Oxerian Empire once again and, during the rebellion, Crown Princess Lelia would assume control of the Oxerian Empire through the disappearance of the Empress. In exchange for Jacobite transgressions in Oxerian politics and Sarovian pressure, she would sign abdicate in favour of Constantine. Despite the diplomatic victory, the other diplomatic approaches unfortunately failed again and again. Constantine IX would then take to the sword, and through a strategy of blockades and battlefield success brought a decisive victory over the Jacobite rebels at the Battle of Kiev. The Sarovian naval blockade of the Jacobites starved them of personnel and activity and in 291 AS, the Jacobites finally surrendered and the concepts of Reuss and Nassau were no more. Constantine IX, usually known for mercy and forgiveness, uncharacteristically exiled almost every single member of the rebellion.
Aurea and the Second Saro-Aurean War
During the Jacobite Rebellion, the ancient enemy of the Aurean Empire funded the Sarovian rebel groups, and even aided them in fighting against Sarovian soldiers. During the rebellion, the Jacobite pretender rebels would convert the Aureans to Stefanism and, after the rebels were put to the sword, peace talks were had by Sarovian diplomats and Aurean officials under the orders of Constantine IX. The Aurean Empire was known as the "Sick Man of Graal" by this point, and Sarovian officials were sent to Aurea to attempt to prop it up, which did so between 292 and 293 AS. Sarovians on the order of the Emperor intervened and saved the Aurean military from disaster twice at Modena and Poltava, but it was not enough to save the country and the Aurean Empire's government collapsed in the process.
When the government was reformed, the hostile and belligerent Kevlar V Vaughn decided to host the Vistian rebels and himself lay claim to the State. A flurry of talks between Sarovian ambassadors and the Aurean court to diffuse the situation led to naught and reluctantly, Constantine IX was forced to declare war on Aurea in 295 AS. Sarovian naval vessels won a staggering and decisive victory under his command in Ostos, which shattered the Aurean fleet and army, and Sarovian soldiers in Estos won two clear victories, forcing Prince Arnold Vaughn on direct orders from the Aurean Emperor to surrender all forces. The Treaty of Leda was signed, admitting Aurean guilt for the war and humiliating them in the process. A Sarovian monarch was never loved more, as the newspapers of the time said that he restored Sarovian pride. Some even claimed that Constantine IX was the reincarnation of Carolus XII, as he finally "unsolved the just war in which the late Charles could never do." Constantine IX quickly declared that the Sarovian colonies in Ostos would unify under a self autonomous Dominion known as Carolusburg.
Aurean Emperor and Holy Graalian Emperor
The treaty was not upheld for long, however, when Kevlar V attempted a second attack on Sarovian naval forces which was quickly repelled. In response, two camps of Aureans formed. The first demanded Kevlar V's abdication for his repeated failures of his homeland and the second saw the newly found Dominion of Carolusburg as the cultural, martial and spiritual successor to Aurea. Governor-General Richard Vaughn and Constantine IX demanded that Kevlar V abdicate in favour of his nephew. The demand went unanswered until well past the response date, and Kevlar V's refuse to abdicate led to many Aurean noblemen swearing the Oath of Allegiance to Constantine IX, and swore him in as the Emperor of Aurea and King of Carolusburg in 296 AS. In response, Pope Clement of the Stefanic Church, who's predecessor granted Emperor Cassio of Aurea the title of "Holy Western Emperor", acknowleged the Aurean crown as well as the Holy Western crown to belong to Constantine IX. In face of surmounting pressure and papal recognition, Kevlar V abdicated. His nephew continues skirmishing with Sarovian forces, to little success.
Constantine IX then turned to Estos to deal with an uprising of Aurean funded rebel groups, of which amongst them were the successors to Hanor, the possessor of the "Holy Eastern Emperor." In a swift martial campaign, Constantine IX in his old age decisively defeated the rebel groups and Pope Clement acknowleged the exchange of the "Holy Eastern Emperor" title to Constantine IX. At the turn of the Stefanic century in 300 AS, the Pope crowned Constantine IX as the first Holy Graalian Emperor, a successor title to surpass that of Constantine VI's title of Caesar.
Honours
Throughout his life, Constantine IX has received many different honours, decorations and titles.
- Crowns
- Honours
Sovereign of the Order of the Vasas- Sovereign of the Order of the New Sarovian Empire
Sovereign of the Order of the Black Sun- Sovereign of the Order of the Griffon
Sovereign of the Order of the Bull- Star of Carolus
Knight Commander of the Order of the Golden Circle
- Decorations
- Constantine Cross
- Imperial Star of Service
- Cross of Valour
- Volunteer's Cross
- Sovereign's Cross
- Cross of Military Valour
- Medal of Merit
- Medal of Bravery
- Exemplary Service Medal
Coat of arms
As the Viscount Lochland, Constantine IX's arms were different from those of the New Sarovian Empire, and were blazoned as follows: WIP. Upon his selection to reign in New Sarovia by the Assembly of Peers, he decreed the change of the arms of the New Sarovian Empire to reflect both Anglophone and Lusophone Sarovians. Through the virtue of being the King of the Sarovians and the Emperor of the New Sarovian Empire, Constantine IX is the source of all heraldry and symbols through during his reign and bears the arms of New Sarovia. However, depending on the Sarovian Dominion or other united country he finds himself, his arms will reflect the country in which he represents at any given time. In matters of cross-country importance, Constantine IX's uses his personal arms which are those of the New Sarovian Empire and are defaced by the arms of Mako-Zor.
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| Arms of Constantine IX as the Viscount Lochland. | Arms of Constantine IX as sovereign. | Arms of Constantine IX as sovereign of the Dominion of Philippia. | Arms of Constantine IX as sovereign of the Dominion of Metternau. | Arms of Constantine IX as sovereign of the Dominion of Carolusburg. | Arms of Constantine IX as sovereign of the Grand Kingdom of the State. | Arms of Constantine IX as sovereign, defaced with the arms of Mako-Zor. |