Lore:Septim Dynasty

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The Septim Dynasty was the founding dynasty and the first ruling dynasty of the Third Empire of Tamriel from 2E 896 until the dynasty's extinction with the death of Martin Septim in 3E 433. The dynasty and the Empire were founded by the legendary Tiber Septim in 2E 896 after decades of conquest, thus marking the end of the Second Era and the beginning of the Third Era.[citation needed]

Under the Septims, Tamriel prospered and its provinces enjoyed peace and stability that had not been seen since before the chaotic centuries of the Interregnum. New conflicts still arose, however, which repeatedly stretched the Empire to its breaking point throughout the Third Era: a battle over the imperial succession ensued during the War of the Red Diamond between 3E 120 and 3E 127; the Camoran Usurper seized control of Valenwood and Hammerfell from 3E 249 to 3E 267; Emperor Uriel Septim V spearheaded an ill-fated invasion of Akavir in 3E 288, resulting in the emperor's death and the loss of a considerable portion of the Empire's military strength; and Imperial Battlemage Jagar Tharn overthrew Emperor Uriel Septim VII and ruled for a decade beginning in 3E 389, a period that would become known as the Imperial Simulacrum.[citation needed]

Through all of these challenges, the Empire and the Septim line survived. Their end came in 3E 433 with the onset of the Oblivion Crisis. Emperor Uriel Septim VII and his heirs were assassinated by the Mythic Dawn in a single night, and the Dragonfires ceased to burn. The Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon launched a massive invasion of Tamriel. Although one last Septim heir, Martin Septim, was located, he sacrificed himself to repel the Daedra and seal Mundus off from Oblivion forever. With the Septims gone and the Empire's fate uncertain, the Third Era concluded and the Fourth Era began.[citation needed]

Septim Bloodline[edit]

Name Reign Regnal Years Length
Tiber Septim 2E 854[1] - 3E 38[2][3] 42 or 81 years
Pelagius Septim I[nb 1] 3E 38[2][3]-3E 40[2][3][nb 2] Less than 3 years
Kintyra Septim I 3E 40[2][3] - 3E 48[3] Less than 7 or greater than 8 years
Uriel Septim I 3E 53[3] - 3E 64[2][3] 11 or less than 16 years
Uriel Septim II 3E 64[2][3] - 3E 82[2][4][3] 18 years
Pelagius Septim II 3E 82[2][4][3] - 3E 98[5][6][3] Less than 17 years
Antiochus Septim 3E 99[2][5][nb 3] - 3E 120[7][8][nb 4] 13 or 21 years
Kintyra Septim II 3E 120[7][9][8] - 3E 121[10][nb 5][3] Less than 1 year
Uriel Septim III 3E 121[2][nb 5] - 3E 127[10][11] 6 years
Cephorus Septim I 3E 127[10][12][11][3] - 3E 140[12] ~12 years
Magnus Septim 3E 140[12] - 3E 145[12][8] 5 years
Pelagius Septim III 3E 145[12][11][6] - 3E 153[11][8][nb 6] 8 years
Katariah Ra'Athim 3E 153[11][8] - 3E 200[11][8][nb 7] Less than 47 years
Cassynder Septim 3E 200[13] - 3E 202[13][nb 8] 2 or less than 3 years
Uriel Septim IV 3E 202[13][nb 8] - 3E 246[11][nb 9] ~44 years
Cephorus Septim II 3E 246[11][nb 9] - 3E 268[13][nb 10] ~22 years
Uriel Septim V 3E 268[13] - 3E 290[13][14][3] 22 years
Uriel Septim VI 3E 290 (3E 307)[15][nb 11][3] - 3E 313[15][nb 12] 6(23) years
Morihatha Septim 3E 313[15][nb 12] - 3E 339[15][3] 26 years
Pelagius Septim IV 3E 339[15][3] - 3E 368[15][nb 13] 29 years
Uriel Septim VII 3E 368[15][3][nb 13] - 3E 433[16] 55(65) years
Martin Septim 3E 433[17] - 3E 433[17] Less than 1 year

The table to the left shows the emperors and empresses and their regnal dates. The chart below details the lineage of the Septim family in the first-degree only. In both cases, the date of birth and death should be interpreted as Era / Year. For example, "2E/125" should be read as "Second Era in the year 125". All unknown dates and names are noted with the inclusion of "???". A † symbol next to a date of death indicates that the death was not natural. Names in bold indicate ruling emperors.

References are given in the usual style, but cases where calculation or inference are involved, or where contradictions exist, are marked as "nb" and appear in a separate section.
???
(2E/???-?E/???)
???
(2E/???-?E/???)
???
(?E/???-?E/???)
Tiber Septim
2E/828[nb 14]-3E/38[2][3]
Agnorith
2E/???-?E/???
???
(?E/???-?E/???)
???
(?E/???-?E/???)
???
(?E/???-?E/???)
Kintyra Septim
2E/???-3E/53[3]
???
(?E/???-?E/???)
Pelagius Septim I
?E/???-3E/41†[2]
???
(?E/???-?E/???)
Uriel Septim
2E/???-3E/64[2]
???
(?E/???-?E/???)
Uriel Septim II
?E/???-3E/82[2]
Amiel Septim
3E/???-3E/???
Galana Septim
3E/???-3E/???
Duke of Narsis
3E/???-3E/???
???
3E/???-3E/52[18][nb 15]
Pelagius Septim II
?E/???-3E/98[5][6]
Quintilla Vulstaed or Qizara[nb 16]
?E/???-3E/99[nb 17]
Magna[nb 18]
3E/???-3E/???
Antiochus Septim
3E/50[6] or 3E/55[5][nb 19]-3E/120[7]
Gysilla[nb 18]
3E/???-3E/???
Cephorus Septim I
3E/77[5][nb 20]-3E/140[12][11][nb 21]
Potema Septim
3E/67[6][12][nb 22]-3E/137[12][11][6]
Mantiarco
3E/19[18][nb 23]-3E/99[19][nb 24]
Bianki[nb 25]
3E/???-3E/136
Magnus Septim
3E/79[5][nb 26]-3E/145[12][8]
Hellena or Utheilla[nb 27][UOL 1]
3E/???-3E/???
Kintyra Septim II[nb 28][nb 29]
3E/104[7][nb 30]-3E123†[20][nb 5]
Gallivere Lariat
3E/???-3E/???
Katariah Ra'Athim
3E/???-3E/199†[nb 7]
Pelagius Septim III
3E/119[8][11] or 3E/125[nb 31][10]-
3E/153[11][8][nb 6]
Jolethe Septim[nb 32]
3E/???-3E/???
Uriel Septim III
3E/97[6][5][nb 33]-3E/127†[10][11]
???
3E/???-3E/???
Uriel Septim IV
3E/???-3E/247[11][nb 9]
Cassynder Septim
3E/148[8][nb 34]-3E/201[13][nb 8]
Andorak Septim
3E/???-3E/???
Cephorus Septim II[nb 32]
3E/???-3E/268[13][nb 10]
???
3E/???-3E/???
Thonica
3E/???-3E/???
Uriel Septim V
3E/???-3E/290[13][14]
???
3E/???-3E???
Uriel Septim VI
3E/286[15][nb 35]-3E/313[15][nb 12]
Ulfe Gersen
3E/???-3E/???
Morihatha Septim
3E/288[15][nb 36]-3E/339†[15]
Eloisa
3E/288[15][nb 36]-3E/335[15][nb 37]
???
3E/???-3E/???
???
3E/???-3E/???
Pelagius Septim IV
3E/314[15][nb 38]-3E/368
???
3E/???-3E/???
Caula Voria
3E/???-3E/???
Uriel Septim VII
3E/346[3][16][nb 39]-3E/433†[17]
Gemile[UOL 2]
3E/???-3E/???
Calaxes Septim
3E/???-3E/???†[21][nb 40]
Ariella Septim
3E/374[nb 41]-3E/???
Geldall Septim
3E/377[16][nb 42]-3E/433†[17]
Enman Septim
3E/378[16][nb 42]-3E/433†[17]
Ebel Septim
3E/380[16][nb 42]-3E/433†[17]
???[nb 43]
3E/???[22]-3E/???
Martin Septim
3E/???-3E/433†[17]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Pocket Guide to the Empire, 1st Edition: Cyrodiil — Imperial Geographical Society, 2E 864
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Brief History of the Empire v 1 — Stronach k'Thojj III
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Tamriel's Timeline, The Daggerfall Chronicles — Ronald Wartow
  4. ^ a b The_Wolf_Queen, v2 — Waughin Jarth
  5. ^ a b c d e f g The_Wolf_Queen, v3 — Waughin Jarth
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Biography of the Wolf Queen — Katar Eriphanes
  7. ^ a b c d The Wolf Queen, v5 — Waughin Jarth
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j The Madness of Pelagius — Tsathenes
  9. ^ The Wolf Queen, v6 — Waughin Jarth
  10. ^ a b c d e The Wolf Queen, v7 — Waughin Jarth
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Brief History of the Empire v 2 — Stronach k'Thojj III
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i The Wolf Queen, v8 — Waughin Jarth
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i Brief History of the Empire v 3 — Stronach k'Thojj III
  14. ^ a b Report: Disaster at Ionith — Lord Pottreid, Chairman
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Brief History of the Empire v 4 — Stronach k'Thojj III
  16. ^ a b c d e The Black Horse Courier, Special Edition
  17. ^ a b c d e f g Events during TES IV: Oblivion
  18. ^ a b The Wolf Queen, v1 — Waughin Jarth
  19. ^ The Wolf Queen, v4 — Waughin Jarth
  20. ^ Broken Diamonds — Ryston Baylor
  21. ^ Words and Philosophy
  22. ^ Player Background History in Daggerfall

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ "There has been some disagreement regarding Pelagius' relationship with Tiber Septim. A version of a Brief History of the Empire referred to Pelagius as Tiber's eldest son, but it has since been revised. Some passages in The Real Barenziah suggest that Tiber's wife, referred to as the Empress, had multiple "children". The likeliest explanations include that Tiber and the Empress had female children otherwise unrecorded to history, or that the general public were referred to as the Empress' "children". Other possibilities include that the Empress had children that were not Tiber's, the two of them had secret offspring, or a mistake on the part of the author. Regardless, the throne ended up with Kintyra.
  2. ^ A Brief History of the Empire says that Pelagius reigned for "less than three years", suggesting a date of 3E 40. The Daggerfall Chronicles explicitly uses this date.
  3. ^ Book 3 of The Wolf Queen indicates that Antiochus was not offered the throne until some time had passed after the death of Pelagius II. A Brief History of the Empire indicates that he took the throne twelve years before the War of the Isle in 3E 110, which leads to the same date.
  4. ^ Book 5 of The Wolf Queen states that Antiochus fell into a coma in 3E 119 and that his funeral was in 3E 120. The Madness of Pelagius agrees, stating that Kintyra ascended the throne "just over a year" after Pelagius' birth in 3E 119. Both books are contradicted in the Biography of the Wolf Queen, which explicitly places his death in 3E 112. To add to the confusion, see the note about the date of Pelagius III's birth. This chart uses the 120 date, since most references state that to be the correct date.
  5. ^ a b c In The Wolf Queen, although there is uncertainty over the date of Kintyra's death, it is stated that Uriel III was crowned "four years previously" to the year 3E 125, implying that he was crowned in 3E 121. A Brief History of the Empire explicitly states that Uriel took the throne in 121. The Biography of the Wolf Queen states that Kintyra was executed in 3E 114 and that Uriel ascended to the throne "seven years later". Thus, while all three books agree on the date of Uriel's ascension, the Biography implies a seven year interregnum during the War of the Red Diamond when nobody wore the Imperial crown. The precise date given in Broken Diamonds implies that Kintyra was held in captivity for some time before her death.
  6. ^ a b The Madness of Pelagius says that Pelagius III died in the 34th year of his life, which translates to 3E 153.
  7. ^ a b Both Brief History of the Empire and The Madness of Pelagius put the length of Katariah's reign at forty-six years, and The Third Era Timeline puts her death in 3E 200. To fit in with later events, her reign must end in 3E 200. A possible explanation of the stated length of Katariah's reign by Brief History of the Empire and The Madness of Pelagius could be that Katariah's reign began in late 3E 153 but ended in early 3E 200, meaning that her reign may have in reality lasted forty-six years and some months, but not quite forty-seven years.
  8. ^ a b c The Daggerfall version of Brief History says "In two years, he was dead" while the later version says that Cassynder died "Three years after [his accession]". It is impossible to determine exactly which year these statements are intended to mean, but 3E 202 seems reasonable.
  9. ^ a b c Brief History of the Empire describes the reign of Uriel Septim IV lasting 43 years. This must have extended into 3E 246, as The Rear Guard describes a law made "in 3E 246, during the reign of Uriel IV". The Daggerfall Chronicles place Uriel's death in 3E 247, but it doesn't seem possible to stretch his reign into this year given other events. It is possible this date has been superseded.
  10. ^ a b Although the Brief History of the Empire states Cephorus II became emperor in 3E 268, this is clearly an error. The same book states that Uriel Septim V also became emperor in 268, so it is more logical to assume the latter is correct and that Cephorus simply followed on from Uriel IV. Cephorus is described as "a cousin more closely related to the original Septim line", although his precise line of descent is not clear.
  11. ^ Uriel VI was too young to rule in his own right when he was crowned, so his mother Thonica ruled as regent. He was eventually allowed to ascend the throne and assume full Imperial powers in 3E 307.
  12. ^ a b c The Third Era Timeline states that Uriel VI died and Morihatha was crowned in 3E 320, and Tamriel's Timeline, The Daggerfall Chronicles suggests the year was 3E 317. However, Brief History of the Empire notes that Morihatha was born a month after her father left for Akavir in 3E 288, and that she was 25-years-old as Empress, which would put her coronation in 3E 313.
  13. ^ a b The Brief History of the Empire states that Pelagius reigned for 49 years, but this has been acknowledged as an error - the correct span is 29 years.
  14. ^ The Wolf Queen, v1 suggests Tiber Septim was born in 2E 288, but since that would mean he was nearly 650 years old when he died, it seems more likely that Potema was misremembering her lessons. The Arcturian Heresy states that Tiber was 108 when he died, which places his birth in around 2E 827-828. If Potema simply had the digits in the wrong order, 828 seems more likely.
  15. ^ The Wolf Queen states that Pelagius had been "eleven years a widower" when he visited Camlorn in 3E 63, implying that his first wife died in 3E 52.
  16. ^ Books 1, 3 and 6 of The Wolf Queen name the wife of Pelagius II as Quintilla Vulstaed, but the Biography of the Wolf Queen calls her Qizara.
  17. ^ Book 3 of The Wolf Queen contains a scene in 3E 99 where Quintilla prophesies that she will die soon, followed by King Mantiarco shortly thereafter. Other sources attest to Mantiarco's death in 3E 99, so assuming Quintilla's prophecy was correct, she must have died in the same year. Certainly, the only reference to her in the book - in 3E 121 - is in the past tense..
  18. ^ a b There is slightly contradictory evidence about Antiochus' wives and the mother of his daughter, Kintyra. The Biography of the Wolf Queen says that Kintyra's mother was called Magna, and mentions no other wife. The Wolf Queen, v4, however, states that Kintyra was born to Antiochus' second wife, Gysilla, but doesn't mention the name of his first wife. Adding to the confusion, The Wolf Queen, v5 copies the Biography's paragraph on the subject almost word for word, with the only major change being the substitution of "Magna" with "Gysilla". Neither woman is mentioned in any other book. Since the Biography is known to be inaccurate on several other points, it makes sense to follow the lineage described in The Wolf Queen, and to use Magna as the name of Antiochus' first wife.
  19. ^ The Wolf Queen states that Antiochus was 43 in 3E 98, implying a birth year of 3E 54-55. The Biography of the Wolf Queen has him aged 48 in 3E 98, suggesting that he was born five years earlier.
  20. ^ The Wolf Queen states that Cephorus was 21 in 3E 98 and 60 in 3E 137, implying a birth year of 3E 77-78.
  21. ^ Book 2 of Brief History of the Empire states that Cephorus outlived Potema by three years.
  22. ^ The Wolf Queen states that Potema was 14 in 3E 80, 53 in 3E 120 and 70 in 3E 137, implying a birth year of 3E 66-3E 67; it also states that she was 30 in 3E 98, which favors the latter date.
  23. ^ The Wolf Queen states that Mantiarco was 62 in 3E 80, implying a birth year of 3E 18-19.
  24. ^ The Wolf Queen states that 3E 109 was nine years after Mantiarco's death, implying that he died in 3E 99-100, and the Biography of the Wolf Queen states he "the springtide after Pelagius II", whose death in 3E 98 is well-documented.
  25. ^ The Wolf Queen makes several references to Cephorus' Redguard Bride named Bianki but The Madness of Pelagius is equally clear, stating that "Cephorus never married and died childless". Bianki is included here for completeness. Her death in 3E 136 comes from a phrase in the Wolf Queen, where Pelagius reflects that "Aunt Bianki" died "last year" in an entry dated 3E 137. Book 4 suggests that the marriage resulted in "a healthy brood of children", but Book 8 states they all died either in the war or as the result of famine after it.
  26. ^ The Wolf Queen states that Magnus was 19 in 3E 98, implying a birth year of 3E 78-79.
  27. ^ Book 7 of The Wolf Queen clearly identifies Magnus' wife and Pelagius' mother as "Hellena"; The Madness of Pelagius is equally clear that her name is "Utheilla".
  28. ^ Book 4 of The Wolf Queen says that Antiochus named Kintyra after his "great-great-great grandaunt", but from other sources, she was actually his great-great grandmother.
  29. ^ Brief History of the Empire indicates that Kontin Arynx is the consort of Kintyra II, however The Wolf Queen historical fiction books have Lord Modellus of the Elder Council as her husband-to-be.
  30. ^ The Wolf Queen states that Kintyra was 15 in both 3E 119 and 3E 120, implying a birth year of 3E 104.
  31. ^ It is impossible to be certain about the date of Pelagius III's birth. The Wolf Queen explicitly states it as 3E 125 while The Madness of Pelagius is equally explicit in a date of 3E 119. Book 2 of Brief History of the Empire says that Pelagius died at the age of 34 in 3E 153, which supports the date of 119.
  32. ^ a b Brief History of the Empire asserts that Cephorus II is a Nord. It is possible Cephorus II is descended from Jolethe Septim, who became Queen of Solitude after her brother, Pelagius III, left the city.
  33. ^ He was one year old in 3E 98 according to The Wolf Queen, and the Biography of the Wolf Queen explicitly states 3E 97. Book 4 of The Wolf Queen, however, has Uriel's age as 11 in 3E 110, which may push his birth up to 3E 98. The same book calls Tiber Septim Uriel's "great great great great great granduncle". This either contains one too many "greats" or the "grand" should be removed; in reality, Tiber is Uriel's great-great-great-great-great uncle, or great-great-great-great-grand uncle.
  34. ^ The Madness of Pelagius says that Katariah became pregnant just after Pelagius was sent to a private asylum, which happened two years into his reign. Assuming a full nine-month pregnancy, Cassynder's birth would be some time between 3E/147 and 3E/149. This would also fit with a Brief History of the Empire, which notes that he was middle-aged when he came to the throne - with these dates he would have been in his early 50s.
  35. ^ Uriel VI is described as being five years old on his father's death in 3E 290 and 22 in 3E 307, implying he was born in 3E 285-286.
  36. ^ a b Morihatha and Eliosa are described by the Brief History of the Empire as being twins born a month after their father left for Akavir. Since the report of the Disaster at Ionith states the fleet left in Rain's Hand, 3E 288, they must have been born in Second Seed of the same year.
  37. ^ Book 4 of Brief History of the Empire says that Eloisa died of fever four years before Morihatha, making the date 3E335.
  38. ^ Pelagius IV is stated to be 25 years of age at his succession in the year 3E 339 in Brief History of the Empire, implying a birth date of 3E 314-315.
  39. ^ The Black Horse Courier describes Uriel VII as being 87 in 3E 433, implying a birth year of 3E 346-347. The Daggerfall Chronicles explicitly give a date of 3E 346.
  40. ^ Words and Philosophy gives the date of Calaxes' disappearance as 3E 498, which is clearly a misprint since the third age ended in 433. Words and Philosophy" is the biography of Lady Benoch, who says she was sixteen in 3E 396 during the War of the Blue Divide. The book describes her career from that age on spanning many years until she eventually becomes Commander of the Imperial Guard. The book also clearly ascribes the actions of the Emperor to Uriel. So, it is not possible that the this date is a typo for 3E 398, when Benoch would have been 18 in Hammerfell, and Jagar Tharn was impersonating Uriel. The exact date of Calaxes' disappearance is thus unknown. It happened many years after the War of the Blue Divide and before the events of the game Morrowind. Although no source states definitively that Calaxes died, no other outcome seems likely.
  41. ^ In the Manual narrative for Arena, Talin Warhaft tells a story where he briefly compares his age at the time to Ariella's age contemporary; he had just turned sixteen and was barely older than Princess Ariella. This indicates the Princess was currently around age fifteen during the narrative, meaning she was born around 3E 373-374
  42. ^ a b c The Black Horse Courier has Geldall, Enman and Ebel being 56, 55 and 53 respectively in the year 3E 433, implying birth years of 3E 377, 3E 378 and 3E 380.
  43. ^ In Daggerfall, the player character is given a personal Background History that is determined by their class. In some scenarios such as the Bard and the Rogue, the player character meets the Emperor's child and Prince to the Empire. There are six possible names given to the prince. These include "Cassynder" (would be Cassynder II), "Cephorus" (would be Cephorus III), "Pelagius" (would be Pelagius V), "Trabbatus", "Uriel" (would be Uriel VIII), and "Voragiel". In the Ranger scenario, this Imperial Prince mentions that his brothers, are also on the run, this would imply at least two (based on the plurality of the word "brothers") to possibly five additional brothers to this Prince (the additional three being based on the total number of possible names). These characters precede the invention of Geldall, Enman, and Ebel as the Emperor's sons as introduced in Morrowind, these new princes do not share the same names as the princes of Daggerfall. Ultimately there is no available information on the status of their canonicity post-Daggerfall, though it is quite notable that the princes of Daggerfall are not mentioned whatsoever in Oblivion

Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.

  1. ^ Concerning the Hellena/Utheilla inconsistency, Ted Peterson stated in a forum post: "Unfortunately, there's no way around the fact that the books contradict one another. In Wolf Queen, young Pelagius makes reference to his mother, who is Hellena, still being alive at the time of Potema's death. Madness says that Uthiella [sic], a Direnni of Balfiera, is his mom; and Wolf Queen says that Hellena, Queen of Lilmoth is his mom. Madness is wrong: Pelagius did not have a Direnni mom. Tsathenes got Pelagius's birthdate and his early history completely wrong."
  2. ^ The only source for the name of Martin's mother is a forum post by Ken Rolston in which Caius Cosades suggests the name while visiting Uriel's newly-dug grave.
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