Lore:Pelagius II

Emperor Pelagius Septim II
Race	Unknown	Gender	Male
Born		3rd Era
Died		3E 98 Imperial City
Resided in		Imperial City
Reign		3E 82- 3E 98
Previous Ruler		Uriel II
Next Ruler		Antiochus

Pelagius Septim II was the sixth emperor of the Septim Dynasty, ruling the Third Empire for around sixteen years, from 3E 82 to 3E 98. When he assumed the throne, the Empire was bankrupt and in debt, so he dismissed every member of the Elder Council and allowed only those willing to pay great sums of money to sit on the council. Although controversial, this policy ultimately achieved Pelagius' goal of fixing the Empire's financial problems, and by the end of his reign, the Empire had returned to prosperity. He was preceded by his father, Uriel II, and was succeeded by his son, Antiochus.

Biography

Pelagius Septim was the son of Uriel Septim (later Emperor Uriel II) and his unnamed wife. He had a sister named Galana and a brother named Amiel. At some point prior to 3E 52, Pelagius married his first wife. In 3E 63, Pelagius married his second wife, Quintilla, the Princess of Camlorn. Pelagius had four children: Antiochus, born in 3E 51; Potema, born in 3E 67; Cephorus, born in 3E 77; and Magnus, born in 3E 79. In 3E 80, Prince Pelagius and Uriel II arranged the marriage of Potema to Mantiarco, King of Solitude, to cement relations with Solitude.

In 3E 82, Uriel II died, so Pelagius was crowned Emperor of Tamriel. When Pelagius II acceded to the Ruby Throne, he faced a bankrupt treasury and debt from his father's poor management of the Empire's financial policies. To refill the Imperial Treasury, Pelagius dismissed every member of the Elder Council and allowed only those willing to pay great sums of money to sit on the council. He encouraged his vassals, the kings of Tamriel, to perform similar actions. Ultimately, these policies refilled the Imperial Treasury, and by the end of Pelagius' reign, Tamriel had returned to prosperity. His critics, however, suggested that the buyback system resulted in the damaging loss of those councilors who were wise but poor in gold. After a reign of approximately sixteen years, Pelagius II died on 15 Evening Star, 3E 98, and his son Antiochus succeeded him. Many said that Pelagius II was poisoned by a former member of the Elder Council.

Notes

• 1	Biography of the Wolf Queen states that the name of Pelagius' second wife was Qizara, while The Wolf Queen states that her name was Quintilla.

• 2

  The Third Era Timeline and the Biography of the Wolf Queen both state that Pelagius' reign ended in 3E 99; this is likely a rounded figure, however, as The Wolf Queen states that he died on the 15th of Evening Star, 3E 98 (Evening Star is the last month in the year). The Daggerfall Chronicles also places the death of Pelagius in 3E 98.