Alexarchus

Alexarchus
Basileus
Reign	447-459 CE
Coronation	447 CE
Predecessor	Onomakritos I
Successor	Deinokrates I
Born	27 January 421 CE Parilla, Makedon
Died	19 June 459 CE (39 years old) Boreas
Dynasty	Kineasan Dynasty
Religion	Zobethos

Alexarchus, (Makedonian: Ἀλέξαρχος), known sometimes as Alexarchus the Brave, was a King (Basileus) of the Makedonian Empire, ruling from 447-459 CE.

Son of Onomakritos I, Alexarchus ascended to the throne following his father's death in 447 CE. He inherited an empire still reeling from the Zobethos Civil War and suffering from economic and political instability, coupled with border troubles with Makedon's neighbors that became known as the 11 Years' Crisis. Lacking support from the Makedonian nobility and Royal Court owing to his homosexuality, Alexarchus was forced to navigate the Crisis with limited resources; he nevertheless accomplish much to bring about an end to the crisis. He married Minara, a Karvelebi Princess, to forestall a Karvelebi revolt, while rebuilding much of western Ruvelka that had been devestated by the Civil War. He established diplomatic relations with the Rideva Empire and reformed Makedon's borders in Mansuriyyah and the unrest following the collapse of the Hannashka Empire, subjugating several Khaltian petty Kingdoms and establishing a series of alliances to safeguard the border. The rise of the Rideva coupled with fighting within Nalaya triggered the Hayren Migration, which he allowed to settle in southern Ruvelka and Syara in exchange for their loyalty to the throne. He then reformed the Empire's taxation and internal trade network, staving off economic collapse. He instituted new reforms that granted limited legal protection to slaves and redistributed land to farming communities. Following the conclusion of the crisis conflicts with the Bosrei dominated his reign, owing to the rise of the warlord Jarpr. Alexarchus waged Alexarchus' Bosrei War for two years before he was captured by Jarpr and executed.

Alexarchus proved a controversial leader during his reign, however modern historians hold him in high regard, and today is considered one of the Empire's finest Kings. He is often seen as an icon of Syara's LGBT community, and is regarded as a heroic figure in Syaran culture, especially Makedon and Hayreniky.

Early Life

Alexarchus was born 27 January 421 CE to Onomakritos I and his wife Melousa. He was the second child of the couple after Rhoekos (born 438 CE), and thus was originally second-in-line to the throne. He also had a younger sister Kharope (423-481 CE) and a younger brother Eurymedon (c. 425-477 CE). As second eldest Alexarchus originally had little chance of ascending to King. His relationship with his brothers was described as competitive but pleasant. He was closer to his sister and took up riding at a young age, as was common among Makedonian nobility. The outbreak of the Zobethos Civil War when he was 10 years old originally did not impact him significantly, as Parilla was away from most of the fighting in Ruvelka. With his father away on campaign against the Traditionalists led by Hegesistratos, Alexarchus' uncle, he altered between the royal palace in Parilla and estates on the island of Chryse.

Alexarchus' life changed when Rhoekos fell ill in 435 CE and died shortly afterwards, making Alexarchus the eldest and first in line for the throne. When he was 15 he began training for the role of King, attenting schools and equestrian events in preparation for his rule. When he was 17 he began serving as a hetairoi officer in the army. He took part in minor military operations against rebellious nomadic tribes in Arkoenn and near Tennai, and by age 23 was commanding a taxis of cavalry. The rapid decline of his father's health between 446-447 brought him back to Parilla, where he made preparations to assume the throne. Although Onomakritos saw a brief revival of health in the spring that led his family to believe he would survive, he declined one more in the summer and died in July 447 CE, making Alexarchus King. His coronation took place a month later.

During his youth Alexarchus was known for his homosexual relations, something that continued into his military career. Makedonian society had complex views regarding homosexuality; while not outlawed or punishable by violence, it was often associated with youthfulness and immaturity. Thus while acceptable (or ignored) during adolesence, it was seen as increasingly taboo as one got older, and afterwards was only considered socially acceptable if acting in the role of erastes towards a younger eromenos. Complicating the matter was while homosexual activity was not considered troublesome so long as it remained within one's social status, breaking social barriers to engage in sexual activities (both heterosexual and homosexual) was considered taboo. As Basileus Alexarchus therefore had no real social equal, and his tendency towards attraction to similarly-aged males added an additional level of derision.

Reign

Alexarchus was coronated in August 447 CE. While the exact date is unknown, details of the event indicate the event was poorly attended, reflecting the lackluster popularity Alexarchus enjoyed. Many Makedonian nobles and aristocrats did not see Alexarchus fit to rule, and rumors that a group of noblemen intended to dispose Alexarchus and replace him with his younger brother Eurymedon were heard within the palace. This never came to pass, likely because Eurymedon was not on board and would in fact prove to be one of Alexarchus' strongest supporters in the Royal Court.

Alexarchus inherited an empire in the midst of massive social upheavel and severe political and economic instability. The Realm was still reeling from the Zobethos Civil War, which despite the Zobethian victory still had to contend with sizeable traditionalist populace. The fighting had devestated western Ruvelka, negatively impacting food production in Galania, the breadbasket of the Empire. Disruption of trade and shortages of raw materials led to coinage debasement, and resulted in an economic depression. Starting in 445 CE, this eventually became known as the 11 Years' Crisis.

To complicate matters, the Empire's borders were in a flux and growing unstable. In Mansuriyyah, the collapse of the Hannashka Empire half a century prior had introduced instability through the Liezue League, resulting in infighting between themselves and the various Khaltians kingdoms. This had not only brought Makedonian trade with Tennai to a halt, but also further contributed to the already precarious positioning of Makedon's southern borders, which were dependent on a network of stable alliances to ensure Makedonian influence with the Hayren tribes and throughout Nalaya. The decline of the Quảng Dynasty in neighboring Quenmin further added to Makedonian unease regarding their eastern borders, in addition to the Acrean Empire's victory over the Sabrian Empire provided another source of concern. Lastly, the continued conflict with the Bosrei in Borea, near Makedonian holdings in Eracura, threatened to spill over into major conflict as the various Nordic tribes threatened Makedonian interests.