John, Prince of Kiev

Sir John Vasa, Prince of Kiev OSE OBS FM PC
Official state portrait of the Prince of Kiev, 2023.
Investiture:	275 AS
Titles:	Prince of Kiev, of Carodia and Aurea, of Cordias and of Rosendal, Lord and Mayor of Sarholm, Count Palatine of the Nafets, Grand Master of the Most Noble Order of the New Sarovian Empire, and Lord President of His Imperial Majesty's Privy Council.
Dynasty:	Zor-Mako-Vasa-Nassau
Predecessor:	Constantine IX Vasa

John, Prince of Kiev (birth: Johannes Karl Gustaf Oxenstierna Zor-Mako-Vasa-Nassau) is the current heir apparent to the Sarovian throne, as well as a prominent politician, military officer, and artist. Born in 269 AS to Emperor Constantine IX and Empress Consort Katherine, he is the sixth member of the ruling House of Vasa of that name since the New Sarovian Empire's founding, in line with a longstanding family tradition of giving that name to incumbent male heirs. An infant during the Imperian Campaigns, the then-Viscount Lochland did not want his son potentially falling into Imperian hands, and so in secret, John was given refuge with a family of gnomes in what is today Swamptown, just north of the Free City of Oldenburg. Eventually, he returned to his father's side, possessed of a strong distaste for war but also of an equally strong intelligence and acumen for administration. Under the Viscount's tutelage, John grew into adulthood and became his father's right hand man, eventually being invested as Prince of Kiev, just after his father's coronation as King of the Sarovians and Emperor of the Sarovian Commonwealth.

Since then, the Prince has distinguished himself as both a hero of war and peace, spearheading the execution of his father's civil and governmental reforms as well as leading the war effort during the Jacobite Rebellion and even serving briefly as Prince Regent. He has proven himself to be a rare jack-of-all-trades, serving simultaneously as commander of the Blue Guard Corps, commander of the Far West Fleet, and as Minister of both Foreign Affairs and Defense under numerous governments of different political parties. So extensive did his purview become that in 297 AS, when the Emperor reorganized the civil bureaucracy under the umbrella of His Imperial Majesty's Privy Council, he was appointed as the first and so far only Lord President of said Council.

Accordingly, like his father, the Prince has been attributed many epithets throughout his life, such as "John the Diplomat" due to his commanding role in Sarovian foreign affairs, "John the Navigator" due to his key role in the development of the Imperial Navy and Sarovian expeditions abroad, and "O Unificador" ('The Unifier'), due to his tireless efforts ever since his brief tenure as Prince Regent towards encouraging unity between Anglophone and Lusophone Sarovians. It is well known that this epithet is the one of which the Prince is most proud, as he has often spoken at length about his dream to build a multicultural Sarovian society.

Biography

Early Life

Born as Johannes Karl Gustaf Oxenstierna of Zor-Mako-Vasa-Nassau, or John for short, he is the first son of Emperor Constantine IX, who promptly gave him to a Gnomish family in what is today Swamptown, just north of the Free City of Oldenburg. The Imperian Campaigns were ongoing, and Constantine, then known as Charles Alexander, Viscount Lochland, did not want his child in possible danger of falling into Imperian hands, and as he had previously saved this family from an Imperian attack earlier in the war, they owed him a favor. In addition, the Viscount was serving as an honorary Lieutenant in the Sarovian Army at the time, and as he - a noble of a prestigious family - had fought in multiple battles, he could have been a prime Imperian military target at any time.

While staying with the gnomes, John, though young, began to take a keen interest in statecraft, as he had a unique perspective on Graal at the time. A child prodigy, he quickly learned and understood the cultural and political intrigues between the various states of Graal, covertly observing how his family did business in the cities. As well, unlike most noble children of his time, John was not taught how to fight let alone how to command armies, as he was far too busy helping around the house, alongside . It was this environment that gave John a strong distaste for war but an equally strong propensity towards politics, as he came to believe that no war can be won on the battlefield, but rather through subterfuge.

When the Imperian Campaigns ended, Charles Alexander quickly came to the gnomes' family home to retrieve his son. The Viscount inquired with them about his progress and whereabouts, wherein the family's elderly father conveyed to him that, though he was weak with a sword and not very charismatic, he had been beyond helpful in the upkeep of the home and its farm and, as he had gotten older, had taken on increasingly complex and significant roles in ensuring the premises were both well-managed as well as safe from the war beyond. The Viscount took note of both these things, and as peace began to reign once more over the land, he sought to mold his son's potential into what would become one of the Empire's finest and most accomplished politicians.

Early Career and Regency

The world John entered, however, was already one very different from the one he was born into. At first, he had a new brother, Sevirax Vasa. The New Sarovian Empire, though victorious, was war-weary after over a decade of conflict, and had been remodeled along ethnic lines into the Nafets Union, composed of the Kingdoms of Reuss and Nassau. This project, originally spearheaded by King George I and continued by his cousin Edward II, was meant to allow for ease of administration in order to accelerate the rebuilding process and reform the Army. The Viscount Lochland, Edward II's older brother, had previously refused the throne when George I offered it, citing no desire to rule a decentralised union.

Many in the Union had become used to its decentralized nature and come to prefer it to the old Empire. Edward II was now the King of Reuss only, though he still possesed informally the King of the Sarovians title, with Nassau having its own king, equal to him in rank and power. Ancient institutions were being neglected and the City of Sarholm had long since fallen into disrepair, with the capital moving to Vurgos City on the mainland, considered by the Union to be 'neutral ground' between the Anglophone center of Modena in Preuze Province and the Lusophone center of Kiev in Kiev Province.

Upon the death of Edward II, the Union's Assembly of Peers had decided that enough was enough and that the Union's benefits had come to be outweighed by its drawbacks. Accordingly, a unanimous vote was taken to reestablish the Empire, with Charles Alexander elected as the new federal monarch, taking the regnal name Constantine IX. Almost immediately after, John was invested by the Emperor as Prince of Kiev, with a prominent army commander, Jafar al-Assad, being invested as King of Reuss, and the then-King of Nassau, Jacob Vasa-Nassau, a distant cousin of the imperial family, continuing in his position.

Jafar would later fall ill, causing him to abdicate the throne of Reuss to John's mother, Dame Katherine Vasa, the Empress Consort. Jacob, meanwhile, would go on to commit high treason and would die in prison, being succeeded by his son Legarius, who took the regnal name Matheus. Undeterred by these developments, however, Constantine and John began the series of reforms that would define the early years of Constantine's reign. Constantine knew that his son was not an effective battlefield commander nor did he have the propensity for it. Therefore, John's primary goal as Prince of Kiev was to ensure internal stability, to rebuild the old capital at Sarholm, and to ensure effective bureaucratic administration while the Emperor fought various wars abroad.

Accordingly, John supervised various governments as well as the Kings of Reuss and Nassau, working behind the scenes to erode ethnic nationalism in favor of Sarovian nationalism. While Reuss took to this well, eventually abandoning its autonomy entirely, the Nassauvians were more divided on the matter, with some embracing their old Sarovian identity while others preferring their new, separate one. These separatist elements, who more often than not also had a predilection towards racism, would become a consistent thorn in John's side as he worked to knit the Empire together and developed his dream of a multicultural society.

The earliest known portrait of John, drawn by an amateur artist.

Things kicked into high gear, however, in 280 AS, when the Emperor suddenly fell ill and retired to Rosendal Palace in Philippia. John, accordingly, assumed the office of Prince Regent, and formed a Regency Council made up of numerous civil and military officials, chief of whom were himself, the Queen of Reuss and commander of I Corps Dame Katherine Vasa, the then-commander of the Blue Guards Koji Campbell, and - most infamously - King Matheus of Nassau, who was also commander of II Corps. John skillfully convinced both him and his mother Katherine to wear their military ranks before their noble ones in order to ensure stability during the Regency and further advance national unity, and this practice, though born out of political necessity, eventually would become the cultural zeitgeist amongst the nobility in the later years of Constantine IX's reign.

Over the course of the Regency, numerous achievements were made, such as a lavish New Sarovia Day celebration as well as the discovery of Boreas in 283 AS. Wars were also fought abroad, in particular against Loganite rebels seeking to overthrow Constantine's lawful rule of the State in favor of a military junta that would have been known as "The Unified State". Though in general all obstacles were surmounted and the Empire continued to expand and unite, now-General Legarius proved to be a frequent thorn in John's side and the locus around whom Nassau's separatist elements would unite, with most days during the Regency filled with raucous arguments between the two.

Though at the end of the day these arguments were resolved and managed, Lusophone Sarovians began picking sides between John and Legarius, with pro-unity Sarovians supporting the Prince Regent and pro-separatist Sarovians supporting the ambitious General. Though the Emperor would return in 284 AS, disbanding the Regency Council. These internal divisions would soon lead to a rebellion and civil war. John himself would soon become a war hero.

Coronation portrait of the young Emperor.

Jacobite Rebellion and First Premiership

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.

The Conquest of Aurea

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.

Second Premiership

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.

Privy Council Presidency

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
  • St. Charles Crown of the Holy Graalian Emperor
  • Imperial Crown
  • Crown of the Grand State Kingdom
  • Oxerian State Crown
  • Crown of the Aureans

• 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 Bravyer
  • Exemplary Service Medal

Crowns, honours and decorations of Constantine IX.

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.

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.