Hémus

Eternal Empire of Hémus
20 CE - 1180 CE
Flag
Motto: Populus Līber Arōmānus
Map of Hémus Map of Hémus
Capital	Mutina (Modena) Lilium (present-day Lyrie) Venetia (present-day Venège)
Historical era	Classical to Medieval
Today part of	Cristina Lysian Republic Magnaeus Mantella Skrovja

The Eternal Empire of Hémus, also referred to as the Eastern Aroman Empire, or Hémus Empire, was the continuation of the Aroman Empire in its eastern provinces in Central Europa from Classical Age and the Middle Post-Classical Era. Its capital city was changed some times between Mutina (Modena), Lilium (present-day Lyrie) and Venetia (present-day Venège). It survived the fragmentation and fall of the Western Aroman Empire in the 3rd century CE and continued to exist for an additional five centuries until it fell in 778 after internal revolts and its former provinces were integrated to the Sacred Aroman Realm. In the middle 11th century it was refounded as the Eternal Empire of Hémus, which lasted for more 122 years.

More than in the West, there was also opposition to the Christianizing policy of the Emperors in the eastern part of the Aroman Empire for some time.

During most of its existence, the Empire of Hémus was the most powerful economic, cultural, and military force in Central Europa. "Hémus Empire" is a term created by Emperor Domenicus after the legend of Hémus, a Aroman warrior that settled in the region after defeating the barbarian people who inhabited the present-day Mantella, founding the city of Mohéma (present-day Modena, Mantella).

Timeline

20 CE - The Aromans consolidated the conquest of the area that today encompasses Magnaeus, Lysia, Mantella and Cristina. Most of the region were inhabited by an Italgrian people known as Mantaliots, which intermingled with Aroman settlers through the years, giving origin to the Mantellans.

150 CE - The Aroman Empire became too large to be governed from a single location. It is split into two self-governing halves. Internal mismanagement and external threats caused the Empire to split. Its Occidental core remained, while other areas were lost.

156 CE - Maximilian the Constant (Maximilian I) was made emperor of the Eastern Aroman Empire. Maximilian I made the city of Mohéma the capital of the Empire, renaming it Mutina.

260-300 CE - First Frankish incursions on Eastern Aroman territories to the northeast are repelled by Mantellan soldiers integrated into the Aroman military.

296 CE - Following the burning of Arhoma after a bloody civil war, the Eastern emperor Domenicus proclaimed himself the sole emperor of the Aroman Empire. He coined the term 'Hémus Empire' after the old regional legend of Hémus the Warrior to distance his rule from that of the Western Aroman Empire remants. The eastern Aroman population however continued to refer to their empire simply as the Aroman Empire or Eastern Aroman Empire.

396 CE - A century after the fall of the Western Aroman Empire, Emperor Tedororius II used for the first time the term "Eternal" to the Empire of Hémus to celebrate the continuity of the empire.

410 CE - Emperor Valentiniano declined to wear the mantle of Pontifex Maximus and decrees the Edict of Mutina, which banned all religions except Christianity.

423 CE - After the Battle of Lilium, the Hémus ([?demonyms/noun])Army in the north suffered a defeat at the hands of Frankish King Rogeric and his army. Rogeric forced the deposition of Emperor Romulanus and became the first Frankish Emperor of Hémus.

435 CE - After constant invasions of eastern tribes in central regions of the Province of Mantalia (part of present-day Mantella) and the Province of Escrovia (parts of modern day Skrovja and western Emakera), Emperor Rogeric II transferred the capital of the Empire to Lilium in the new Province of Francia (modern day Lysean Republic) to the north.

476 CE - Emakerans conquered the region of modern day Skrovja.

500 CE - At this time most of the Empire was Christianized. Paganism resisted in pocket regions around modern day cities of Cristina and Carini.

535 CE - Emperor Loresic le Beau drove out the Emakerans and other invader people from the provinces of Mantalia and Escrovia.

550 CE - The weakening of the eastern frontiers in Mantalia had dire consequences for the Empire. As the imperial government was not providing the military protection the eastern provinces expected and needed, Emakerans again invaded. Escrovia was effectively abandoned by the empire due to the lack of resources and the need to look after more important frontiers. Modern-day Skrovja was split between the mediaeval Kingdom of Ikary (ruled by an Emakeran dinasty) and the mediaeval Emakera.

560 CE - The Youtabonian plague crosses the Empire's borders.

563 CE - Emperor Matieu II dies after contracting the plague.

598 CE - After the assassination of Emperor Donderic le Calme, the Mantellan supported the elevation of Donderic's cousing, Luca Domenic to Emperor while the Franks supported Frederic le Nouveau, Donderic's nephew. The dispute sparks a civil war that lasted until the death of Frederic in the Battle of the Blood Princes in late 598.

600 CE - The Youtabonian plague raged across the Empire.

603 CE - Luca Domenic was elevated Emperor of Hémus as Luca the Stern and transfers the capital of the Empire back to Mutina, naming it Nova Arhoma (and then Modena). Luca was forced to deal with the revolt of Maurice, the son of Frederic. Maurice invaded in early 579, and successfully captured Modena. He had Luca put to death soon after his capture and was proclaimed Emperor, as Maurice the Sterner.

603 to 620 CE - The reign of Maurice was, even by Hémus standards, chaotic and plagued by both internal and external struggles. Instability grew as the Emperor proclaimed the Modenan Catholic Church as the Imperial Religion and the conflicts with outside forces (barbarian tribes from the northeast) intensified. In 612, the Alemannis [?], a Buranic people who had previously settled the region of modern day Montgisard, fleeing before constant barbarians invaders from the steppes and the plague, were allowed to cross the border rivers and settled in the north of the Province of Francia by Emperor Maurice.

620 CE - After the death of Maurice, victim of the Youtabonian plague, the Mantellan federation under Alenius, magister militum in Mantalia, rebelled. Gido, the magister militium for Corolla, rebelled later the same year and initiated the War of the Three Blades. Emperor Majoriano, son of Maurice, significantly strengthened the Hémus army by recruiting large numbers of Alemanni mercenaries to suffocate the conflicts

625 CE - The defeat at the Battle of Siena to Gido was shocking to the Frankish ruling class, and the Emperor Majoriano was forced to negotiate with and settle the Alemannic allies within the borders of the Empire, where they would become semi-independent foederati under their own leaders.

628 CE - Majoriano defeated Guido at the Battle of Helvetia with the help of the Alemannis led by King Estralp.

630 CE - After the wars the northern and western regions became increasingly subject to Alemannic influence. The Alemannis naturally consolidated a leading role in the region.

638 CE - Emperor Maurice II , son of Majoriano, granted southwestern province of Retia Transalpina (East of modern day Magnaeus) to the Alemannis as a vassal state. Maurice II removed the local imperial governors, leaving the Alemannis and the provincial inhabitants to conduct their own affairs.

647 CE - Maurice II's death was followed by turmoil until the Hémus Senate installed Valentino the Mantellan as Emperor in Modena by force of arms.

654 CE - After a violent struggle with several rivals, and against Emperor Valentino's wish, the Alemannic leader Ludwig rose to the rank of magister militum. Ludwig was able to stabilize the Empire's military situation somewhat, relying heavily on his Alemanni allies. With their help Ludwig undertook extensive campaigns in the east, defeating the barbarians in 641 and 643.

658 CE - Valentino was intimidated by Ludwig growing influence and was encouraged by some senators to assassinate him. On 17 April Valentini himself was killed by supporters of the dead general. Groenic, a prominent and popular Alemannic general under Ludwig, was proclaimed emperor by the now Alemannis-dominated Imperial Army and accepted as such by the Hémus Senate. Groenic transferred the imperial capital to Venetia (roughly present-day Venège).

658 to 743 CE - A series of Alemannic emperors succeeded on the throne of the Hémus Empire until the death of Emperor Gildwig II at the battle of Corolla, where his legions were defeated by the army under the rebelling general Yannick le Franc.

660 CE - Yannick was made Emperor with the support of the legions of the Provinces of Mantalia and Francia and the Imperial Senate.

665 CE - Emperor Yannick transferred the capital back to Lilium far from the Alemannic nobles' influence.

678 to 685 CE - Gaspard was proclaimed Hémus Emperor on 9 November. His rule, even as a puppet emperor, extended little beyond Francia. He incited the hostility of Amutian desert tribes, who invaded the south-western province of Retia Marina and the western borders of Mantalia. Gaspard died on 14 November 685, possibly due to being poisoned by his nephew and heir Roger.

739 CE - Arthemius was proclaimed Hémus Emperor on 12 April. Under Arthemius, the Hémus Empire, which had become increasingly isolated from the western Europa, grew closer, although this collaboration came too late to save the empire. Arthemius' friendly attitude towards the Byzantium novaand the Amutians anger his many opponents, who finally depose him in November.

740 to 745 CE - With the deposition of Arthemius, direct central control ceased to exist in the provinces. Many internal revolts erupted in the main provinces.

746 CE - The Alemannic magister Odoric assumed control of the western provinces of Helvetica, Retia Marina and Retia Transalpina (both parts of modern day Magnaeus) as a de jure representative of the Emperor Napos. Likewise, magister militium Sandro il Pazzo and general Francis le Ours assumed control of provinces of Mantalia and Francia respectively.

778 CE - With the death of Napos II, his son Emperor Zenoni abolished the title and position of Hémus Emperor and many nobles and governors assumed the role of provincial sovereigners. Many of those provinces became independent kingdoms and republics, while others are divided in cantons and duchies.

800 CE - The Sacred Aroman Realm (Regnum Sanctum Arhomanus Orientalis) is formed by [?Name], an independent continuation of the old Aroman Empire.

800 to 1058: The power of the Sacred King was limited, and while the various princes, lords, bishops, and cities of the empire were vassals who owed the emperor their allegiance, they also possessed an extent of privileges that gave them de facto independence within their territories and many confederations of states were formed in the Empire. In 1049 The Confederation of Hémus, created by Prince Apoleon of Francia, contained the present-day nations of Magnaeus, Lysean Republic, Mantella and Cristina.

1059 CE - The Confederation of Hémus broke up with the Sacred Aroman Realm and is reformed into the Eternal Empire of Hémus (using the term coined by Teodorius II in 396) and Apoleon was made the Emperor. The city of Modena became the Hémus capital once more.

1058 to 1180 CE - The notion that the sovereign ruler holds supreme power inherited from the ancient emperors of Aroma was fundamental to the prestige of the emperor, but like the Sacred Aroman Realm, the Eternal Empire of Hémus never achieved the extent of political unification, evolving instead into a decentralised, limited elective monarchy composed of hundreds of sub-units: kingdoms, principalities, duchies, counties, prince-bishoprics, Free Imperial Cities, republics and other domains. The mostly Alemannic prince-electors, the highest-ranking noblemen of the empire, usually elected one of their peers as "King of the Aromans", and he would later be crowned emperor by the Pope; the tradition of papal coronations was discontinued in the middle 12th century, after the schism of the Modenan Catholic Church in the region.

1170 CE - Foundation of the Grand Duché du Lys, founded by Louis I of Francia at the expense of the Eternal Empire of Hémus, the conquest have been done with long spears, whose head had the form of a Fleur de Lys in both, efficiency and fashion issues which had been issued by Louis himself as he started the conquest of what would be today’s Lysia. The land which he had conquered would be known as “La Terre Conquise par les Fleurs de Lys”, the Land conquered by Lysia, which would become the symbol of the Grand Duc given the prestige he had coming out of the such symbol along how it carried its victories. It’d take 2 more centuries before the name of Lysia is definitely adopted. As in the origin the name was the grand Duché du Lys, the short “Lysian” or “Lysien” was maintained as the demonym.

1172 CE - The busy City of Saint Christ (present-day Cristina) became part of the Eternal Empire of Hémus.

1180 CE - After decades of internal struggles and wars with neighbor nations such as Emakera and Byzantium Nova, Emperor Roderic abdicated and dissolved the empire following a military defeat to the Emakerans at Parmesia in August.

2017 CE - Lysia, Mantella, Magnaeus and Cristina were officially recognized as the successor states of the Eternal Empire of Hémus.

See also

• Timeline of major events on Eurth
• Aroman Empire