The Eagle of the East, Rhomania: An Eastern Roman Timeline (1196 - 1245)
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Can’t quite argue that Heraclius would say it though; his first instinct would be to insult the man in a language they can both understand.
Part 3; 1244
"He spoke of me, in that last moment, as if I was nothing more than a menial to him... a mistake which cost him his life, and saved mine. I endeavoured to meet his words though; I would dredge, and rule, better than any before me," - Reflections of Dragases I Grypas, according to the letters of his wife Maria Asen.
1244 - When the Lakonoi moved, they moved well, brutally cutting a path through any who tried to stop them from getting to their Prince--the screams emanating from his room, which suddenly fell silent, giving the air a tinge of unease at the silence. Maria Asen herself pushed her way from her room to join them, despite their protests, as they kicked in the Prince's door--and the sight before them shocking even the Lakonoi.
Blood dripped, slowly and with a unique poise, from the Prince's face; from his weapon, his hands. The room smelt of iron, and if one could measure it, the burning husk of what had once been a child not yet in his maturity. Those eyes though; those cold blue eyes which scanned every last Lakonoi, as if they could scour them from existence, only softened when the Prince saw her; Maria.
It was thus that in the early hours of 29th of January, 1244, Constantine Doukas--patriarch of the Doukas clan, had perished at the hands of a child more than thrice his age junior--and that child? He had died too, in his own way.
Heraclius was quick; decisive, in his demands to his men, his Lakonoi. Half their number would take the bodies of all those who had perished, including Doukas, to be burnt without circumstance, and their ashes were to be poured into the Bosporus. Their other half? They would accompany him once he had washed the vile blood of the Doukai from his brow.
The young Prince would bathe himself, before having the Patriarch Arsenios awoken suddenly in the early morning by a Lakonoi; the Prince wanted his crown--and he trusted no other priest or holy man but Arsenios to place it upon his brow, even if the matter had to be rushed. Under his own authority, one he exercised without a care for the established practices of the Empire, Heraclius also made it a note that during his coronation he and Maria would be married, then and there, so that none could refute it.
The ceremony was simple, yet functional--playing out as expected; at least until Theodore Grypas, Prefect of the West and uncle to Heraclius, burst in on the Hagia Sophia in the moments just following it. The Prefect cared not for the crown, or the fact that Heraclius had simply done as he wished, he cared for his nephew instead--and rushed to check on the boy to see if he was alright.
Those eyes, they mimicked his brother's in their cold self-assurance--and the large gash upon his right cheek, earned from Constantine, was a sign unto itself. In this, Theodore asked Heraclius one question; what did he want?
The Emperor and Autocrat of the Romans simply replied, in twice-managed words, "My regnal term shall be Dragases [1], naught else," at first, then, "And that the Doukai be purged--along with all their supporters".
Simple, and firm, notions--and yet the last was in part denied to him. As it turns out, it had been Maria Doukaina who had sent the letter to Theodore--warning the Prefect of what was about to happen in court, the same warning that had seen the Prefect abandon his post to come save his nephew. What had caused the daughter of Constantine to betray him? The barbed manner in which he tore down Maria Komnene as regent, following the death of her daughter in law, as if it was her fault, was that reason. It resonated with her enough to send the letter that had set everything into motion.
Theodore himself made his own request; he wanted Maria left alive, and that was the only one he made to the boy in front of him--a man who's eyes met his own as if they were of the same stock [2]. Dragases saw no reason to deny his uncle this, and the Emperor made his way from the Hagia Sophia into the streets of the Queen of Cities to announce, and present, his Emperorship; flanked by the Lakonoi.
What would follow was a comprehensive purge not seen since the days of Romanos V's early reign--including several creative punishments used by Romanos himself as well. The Doukas family was expunged, root and stem, save for Maria Doukaina and Alexios Doukas by mid-February; with the accused poisoner of the beloved Empress Dowager Theodora Asen being drowned in a bucket in public view. Maria herself? She and Theodore grew close, as the story tells it, because of his efforts to protect her from persecution--and they would be wed in late June of 1244 with the dismissive approval of Dragases.
The young Emperor was just that though; young, and relied on his measured and stoic uncle for both public and silent matters. He had to keep the appearance of an Emperor under regency to sate the customs of the Empire; yet both Dragases and Theodore functioned together well; the light manner in which the Prefect prodded, and the quick manner in which the Emperor picked up on things, easing the notion for both of them throughout the year as Dragases got his bearings.
In this time the Emperor began to collect young and ambitious aids and friends; notably the skilled shipsman Alexandros Napani [3], who would eventually take the reigns as Shipmaster of the Empire in October of 1244; moving to reform the structure of the navy in order to allow it more functionality against the slow encroachment of Italians once more during the short interregnum.
It was by the customary Grypad Christmas Celebrations that Dragases seemed to have the part of Emperor down, at least for the most part, successfully managing the affair with the aid of Theodore in short measure, proving himself to the major guests such as Demetrios Trainos and Theobald Bloua as a viable Emperor they could follow.
In the minds of the people at large however it was simply business as usual; being ruled by what seemed to be another skilled Grypad Emperor.
This view would hold unchallenged for the next 5 years.
--
[1] His regnal name, Dragases, is supposedly a play on the termage for 'dredge'. A name only he could truly appreciate for himself.
[2] Dragases was noted for his powerful height and built, being around 6ft tall, and weighing in at 90 or so kgs, at his peak. By 13 he was already almost as tall as Theodore (5'6). While this is impressive for someone born prematurely as he was, he also had physical defects; such as loose finger joints (ligament laxity). It is also implied, at least by him himself, that he was infertile--the reason given for why he and his wife could not conceive a child despite their impressive, love-filled, marriage of 62 years.
[3] Dragases' almost haughty way of handling things when it came to those near his level of power made him few friends in the nobility; but those he did make were skilled and loyal. His blunt tendencies carried well into army-life, as his soldiers loved him for his mannerisms and treatment of them, and such things thus well-carried into his treatment of civilians, who in turn loved him as well.
--
[1]
1244 - When the Lakonoi moved, they moved well, brutally cutting a path through any who tried to stop them from getting to their Prince--the screams emanating from his room, which suddenly fell silent, giving the air a tinge of unease at the silence. Maria Asen herself pushed her way from her room to join them, despite their protests, as they kicked in the Prince's door--and the sight before them shocking even the Lakonoi.
Blood dripped, slowly and with a unique poise, from the Prince's face; from his weapon, his hands. The room smelt of iron, and if one could measure it, the burning husk of what had once been a child not yet in his maturity. Those eyes though; those cold blue eyes which scanned every last Lakonoi, as if they could scour them from existence, only softened when the Prince saw her; Maria.
It was thus that in the early hours of 29th of January, 1244, Constantine Doukas--patriarch of the Doukas clan, had perished at the hands of a child more than thrice his age junior--and that child? He had died too, in his own way.
Heraclius was quick; decisive, in his demands to his men, his Lakonoi. Half their number would take the bodies of all those who had perished, including Doukas, to be burnt without circumstance, and their ashes were to be poured into the Bosporus. Their other half? They would accompany him once he had washed the vile blood of the Doukai from his brow.
The young Prince would bathe himself, before having the Patriarch Arsenios awoken suddenly in the early morning by a Lakonoi; the Prince wanted his crown--and he trusted no other priest or holy man but Arsenios to place it upon his brow, even if the matter had to be rushed. Under his own authority, one he exercised without a care for the established practices of the Empire, Heraclius also made it a note that during his coronation he and Maria would be married, then and there, so that none could refute it.
The ceremony was simple, yet functional--playing out as expected; at least until Theodore Grypas, Prefect of the West and uncle to Heraclius, burst in on the Hagia Sophia in the moments just following it. The Prefect cared not for the crown, or the fact that Heraclius had simply done as he wished, he cared for his nephew instead--and rushed to check on the boy to see if he was alright.
Those eyes, they mimicked his brother's in their cold self-assurance--and the large gash upon his right cheek, earned from Constantine, was a sign unto itself. In this, Theodore asked Heraclius one question; what did he want?
The Emperor and Autocrat of the Romans simply replied, in twice-managed words, "My regnal term shall be Dragases [1], naught else," at first, then, "And that the Doukai be purged--along with all their supporters".
Simple, and firm, notions--and yet the last was in part denied to him. As it turns out, it had been Maria Doukaina who had sent the letter to Theodore--warning the Prefect of what was about to happen in court, the same warning that had seen the Prefect abandon his post to come save his nephew. What had caused the daughter of Constantine to betray him? The barbed manner in which he tore down Maria Komnene as regent, following the death of her daughter in law, as if it was her fault, was that reason. It resonated with her enough to send the letter that had set everything into motion.
Theodore himself made his own request; he wanted Maria left alive, and that was the only one he made to the boy in front of him--a man who's eyes met his own as if they were of the same stock [2]. Dragases saw no reason to deny his uncle this, and the Emperor made his way from the Hagia Sophia into the streets of the Queen of Cities to announce, and present, his Emperorship; flanked by the Lakonoi.
What would follow was a comprehensive purge not seen since the days of Romanos V's early reign--including several creative punishments used by Romanos himself as well. The Doukas family was expunged, root and stem, save for Maria Doukaina and Alexios Doukas by mid-February; with the accused poisoner of the beloved Empress Dowager Theodora Asen being drowned in a bucket in public view. Maria herself? She and Theodore grew close, as the story tells it, because of his efforts to protect her from persecution--and they would be wed in late June of 1244 with the dismissive approval of Dragases.
The young Emperor was just that though; young, and relied on his measured and stoic uncle for both public and silent matters. He had to keep the appearance of an Emperor under regency to sate the customs of the Empire; yet both Dragases and Theodore functioned together well; the light manner in which the Prefect prodded, and the quick manner in which the Emperor picked up on things, easing the notion for both of them throughout the year as Dragases got his bearings.
In this time the Emperor began to collect young and ambitious aids and friends; notably the skilled shipsman Alexandros Napani [3], who would eventually take the reigns as Shipmaster of the Empire in October of 1244; moving to reform the structure of the navy in order to allow it more functionality against the slow encroachment of Italians once more during the short interregnum.
It was by the customary Grypad Christmas Celebrations that Dragases seemed to have the part of Emperor down, at least for the most part, successfully managing the affair with the aid of Theodore in short measure, proving himself to the major guests such as Demetrios Trainos and Theobald Bloua as a viable Emperor they could follow.
In the minds of the people at large however it was simply business as usual; being ruled by what seemed to be another skilled Grypad Emperor.
This view would hold unchallenged for the next 5 years.
--
[1] His regnal name, Dragases, is supposedly a play on the termage for 'dredge'. A name only he could truly appreciate for himself.
[2] Dragases was noted for his powerful height and built, being around 6ft tall, and weighing in at 90 or so kgs, at his peak. By 13 he was already almost as tall as Theodore (5'6). While this is impressive for someone born prematurely as he was, he also had physical defects; such as loose finger joints (ligament laxity). It is also implied, at least by him himself, that he was infertile--the reason given for why he and his wife could not conceive a child despite their impressive, love-filled, marriage of 62 years.
[3] Dragases' almost haughty way of handling things when it came to those near his level of power made him few friends in the nobility; but those he did make were skilled and loyal. His blunt tendencies carried well into army-life, as his soldiers loved him for his mannerisms and treatment of them, and such things thus well-carried into his treatment of civilians, who in turn loved him as well.
--
[1]
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He did, yes, lol.
Sadly life isn’t all sunshine’s, and the roses usually have thorns.
It was retconned because it was rather over the top for an Emperor like Dragases.
For anyone that has read AoM,Heraclius seems to be similar to Andreas Nikephoros,as in story and carachteristics. Hope Dragases can be as chad as him!
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I wouldn’t know, lol. Never got far into AoM. Mind filling me in?
(Will try to avoid spoilers for AoM)
Tldr; Young dude sees his mom/empress killed by some nasty Venetians. The emperor/Dad who was campaigning in the Levant, dies soon after(or before, don't really remember). Barely manages to avoid a succession war with a couple of ambitious characters, credit to his ballsiness. Goes full cray-cray on all enemies of Rome.
I wonder if the ERE would consider conquering the rest of Anatolia and maybe even northern Mesopotamia, Syria, and the Caucasus once this whole disaster is blown over.
They would it's very natural for an empire positioned on the eastern Mediterranean to naturally take such a land.