Basil IV (Basileios Stephanos Ioannes Konstantinos Markianos; born 16 July 1988) has been King of Aretias since 2 October 2015. He became King following the death of his father King Andronikos III.

Basil is the second child and eldest son of Despot Andronikos III and Irene of Nyrundy. He became heir apparent in 2010, and was granted the title of Sebastokrator. Basil was educated in Aretias and Garima, and later earned a degree and military officer training at Academia Militaris Olympia.

Basil has ruled Aretias as an absolute monarch since his ascension to the throne in 2015. The government has curbed the rights of religious minorities, especially among the Yen community, and alleged extrajudicial killings performed by the Royal Guard. His personal dealings have led to various diplomatic and dynastic disputes with neighboring Perateia. The divorce of his first wife, Margarita Pinaria, led to fears of a possible invasion, and has resulted in an strengthened military presence throughout Aretias.

Early life

Basil was born on the morning of 16 July 1988, at Aplekton, in Basilakia, the oldest son and second child of then Crown Prince Andronikos and Irene of Mysia and Nyrundy. He has one older sister, Stephania, a younger brother Robert, and two younger sisters, Gregoria and Xene. At the time of his birth, Basil was second in line to the throne, following his father and displacing his sister Stephania.

He was christened on 30 August 1988, by Ecumenical Patriarch Gennadios IV, at Hagia Euergetou in Leonople, Perateia. He was named Basilios for his grandfather, King Basil III. He was given the middle names Stephanos in memory of his great-grandfather Stephen V, Elector of Nyrundy, who was also King Stephen I of Mysia, and Konstantinos after his great-great grandfather Despot Constantine II, and Markianos for his great-great grandmother Marcia of Latium. Basil's godparents are then Michael, Archduke of Nyrundy (his mother's brother); Fausta Tarpeia (Michael's wife); Prince Constantine Byzennios (his father's brother); and PLACEHOLDER (Constantine's wife).

Heir apparent

At 12 years old, Basil became heir apparent to the Aretian throne following the death of his grandfather on 22 August 2000. He immediately became Crown Prince upon his father's ascension, and was invested as Sebastokrator on 19 November 2000.

As heir apparent, Basil was made an honorary soldier in the 1st Cavalry Regiment. In 2002, he was invested as a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece by Emperor Jacobus VI/I Claudius according to Perateian custom recognizing the heir apparent.

Education

Basil was attended to by various private tutors in lieu of formal education until the age of 10 when he was enrolled at [Gariman boarding school], in [Gariman city]. As a result of his education in Garima and upbringing, Basil is fluent in Gariman. Following the completion of his secondary education in 2006, Basil was enrolled at Academia Militaris Olympia where he underwent military and officer training, and studied political science and economics. In 2007, he dropped the economics focus. He participated in the Transvectio Equitum each year during his time at Olympia. He also participated in polo to fulfill his mandatory extracurricular activities requirement.

Following the completion of his education and military training, Basil was granted the rank of tourmarches by his father and places in command of the Aretian Tourma.

He was appointed to the Royal Council on his 18th birthday, but did not take an active role until 2011. Basil noticeably clashed with Grand Logothete Jovan Gulea, and stopped regularly attending council meetings by 2014.

Reign

On 2 October 2015, Andronikos II passed away and Basil succeed him as king. His coronation was not held until 9 January 2016, which is one of the longest gaps between an Aretian king's ascension and coronation in peacetime. One of his first acts as king was to sack and replace all ministers on the Royal Council, including Grand Logothete Gulea. Basil appointed Evangelos Avouris, a notable court ally, to lead the council.

In his coronation speech, Basil promised to "eradicate corrupt politicians" and corrupt elements from the country. Despite this, Aretias has seen a rise in corruption since Basil became king according to World Democracy Index. Likewise, he has rolled back many reforms relating to freedom of the press.

Basil's reign has been fraught with issues arising out of his personal life. His first marriage to Margarita Pinaria was source of many domestic and foreign relations issues due to her local charity and domestic popularity, as well as prominent foreign ties. He had been previously accused of imprisoning her prior to her departure and their eventual divorce. The collapse of their relationship, as well as Margarita's eventual return to Latium prompted concerns of a possible invasion when Basil refused to consent a divorce. Even with Basil's decision to agree to a divorce, the fears of an invasion did not subside and Aretias has continued to reform its military and purchase additional weapons.

Relationships and marriages

Marriage to Margarita Pinaria

In late 2012, the Aretian royal household first contacted the Pinaria family to discuss a courtship and possible marriage negotiation between Basil and Margarita Pinaria. Margarita reportedly outright refused to entertain the possibility as her mourning period for her first husband hadn't ended and concerns about the position of her son. However, those close to Margarita felt that she instead wished to marry the recently ascended Nathan IV of Ghant, whom Margarita was involved with some time before her marriage to Dionysios of Perateia.

By late summer, Basil and his parents visited Margarita at the Pinaria family's ancestral estate outside of Cularo, Latium. A courtship was eventually announced on 19 May 2013. Basil primarily resided in Latium throughout the courtship and visited court with relatively frequency. However, his lack of appearances with Margarita in Aretias prompted concern among the local nobility.

Basil's engagement to Margarita was announced on 18 August 2013 with plans for the wedding to take place in late 2013. The marriage contract stipulated a prominent place at court for Margarita's sons from her previous marriage, and allowed for them to live with her in Basilakia. Margarita continued to reside in Latium with her son until late May before she relocated to Aretias. The Pinaria family arranged for the wedding to take place at Hagia Euergetou, the traditional site for Imperial Peratene marriages and coronations.

Basil and Margarita married on 2 December 2013, at Hagia Euergetou, in Leonople. The ceremony was presided over by Ecumenical Patriarch Leon X.

They had three children over the course of their marriage. Their first child, Zenobia, was born on 30 October 2014. Zenobia was born alongside a twin brother who did not survive. On 12 October 2016, the couple had their second child, Basilia, known as Beatrice. And their third, Constantia, was born on 1 December 2017.

Separation and divorce

Rumors of a breakdown in Basil and Margarita's relationship first arose following the birth of Zenobia. According to first hand accounts, Basil was displeased at the death of their son during childbirth and blamed both Margarita and Zenobia. Later that year, as Basil became Despot, Margarita later accused him of purposefully selecting the coronation date on her oldest son's birthday out of spite. At the coronation ball later that night, Basil was prominently seen accompanied by a number of other women and left the ball without Margarita.

The relationship continued to deteriorate into 2015 when Latin media outlets first reported on a number of affairs. In early 2016, Basil banned Margarita's son Andreas of Perateia from court and the country. Margarita regularly visited her son in nearby Leonople causing greater issues in the relationship until August 2016 when her visits ceased.

In early 2016, yet another affair involving Basil was reported on by Perateian media, as were reports that an illegitimate child was born to Basil by an unnamed mistress. While the reports of an illegitimate child were later proved to be unfounded, the woman was reported to be X, a lady-in-waiting to Margarita that was dismissed in March. Margarita subsequently disappeared from public life in February 2017. She was not seen again in public until she was reported in Leonople on 8 October 2017. Basil issued a missive to Emperor Constantine, where Basil accused Constantine of abduction, and demanded the return of Margarita and their children.

Margarita retained legal counsel who then announced that a divorce petition to was submitted to Ecumenical Patriarch Georgios X, as the marriage was performed by the Ecumenical Patriarch. Basil formally objected to Georgios X holding any authority to grant an annulment, but the process was expedited at the apparent request of Emperor Constantine, who had recently overseen the Patriarch's installation a year prior. Basil subsequently accused Constantine of attempting to force an annulment so he could marry Margarita himself; however, Constantine's imperial office issued a statement explaining that the "Emperor [] is ensuring the safety and well-being of a Latin citizen in need, as is the duty of the true Christian Emperor."

Despite the public battle surrounding an annulment, a number of other monarchies issued their displeasure at Margarita's treatment and offered their public support to her, most notably Turenese electoral family. Fearing the potential backlash, Basil was convinced to enter into negotiations with Margarita and her family regarding a divorce. The terms of the divorce and allegations are not known. The divorce was granted on 2 September 2018, and was followed by a royal decree that recognized Basil and Margarita's eldest daughter Zenobia as the continued heir to the Aretian throne, and granted her the style of Apostolic Highness and the traditional title of the heir apparent Sebastokratorissa and Crown Princess.

Marriage to Guinevere of Roazhon

Styles, titles, honors, and arms

Titles and styles

16 July 1988 – 17 July 2010: His Royal Highness Prince Basil of Aretias
19 November 2000 – 2 June 2016: His Apostolic and Royal Highness The Sebastokrator
- 19 November 2000 – 2 June 2016: His Apostolic and Royal Highness The Crown Prince
2 June 2016 – present: His Majesty The King

Honors

Issue

Name	Birth	Notes
By Margarita Pinaria (married Hagia Euergetou 2 June 2013); divorced 2 September 2018
Zenobia, Crown Princess of Aretias	(2014-10-30) 30 October 2014 (age 10)
Unnamed son	(2014-10-07)7 October 2014
Princess Beatrice of Aretias	(2016-10-12) 12 October 2016 (age 8)	Birth name is Basilia
Princess Constantia of Aretias	(2017-12-01) 1 December 2017 (age 6)
By Lydia Kaisarina (mistress)
Theodosia Byzennissa	(2015-10-04) 4 October 2015 (age 9)
Theodoros Byzennios	(2017-11-04) 4 November 2017 (age 7)
By Guinevere of Roazhon (married Hagios Eugenios 7 February 2020)
no issue

Ancestry

Ancestors of Latium/Sandbox3

16. Zenobios II of Aretias

8. Constantine II of Aretias

17. PLACEHOLDER

4. Basil III of Aretias

18. John X Anicius

9. Princess Marcia of Latium

19. Joanna I Anicia

2. Andronikos III of Aretias

20. PLACEHOLDER

10. PLACEHOLDER

21.

5. PLACEHOLDER

22. PLACEHOLDER

11. PLACEHOLDER

23.

1. Basil IV of Aretias

24. John VII, Elector of Nyrundy

12. Stephen V & I of Mysia and Nyrundy

25. Irene I of Mysia

6. George VII & III of Mysia and Nyrundy

26. Prince Theophylactus, Duke of Ravenna

13. Princess Silvia of Ravenna

27. Princess Amelia of Ghant

3. Irene of Mysia & Nyrundy

28. Robert, Crown Prince of Ghant

14. Michael I of Ghant

29. Princess Lucia of Alba

7. Princess Anna of Ghant

30. Alan V of Gelonia

15. Princess Beladore of Gelonia

31. Sara Courcouia

Guinevere of Roazhon

Guinevere of Roazhon
Guinevere of Roazhon
Electoral Princess of Rahdenburg
	Guinevere in 2018
Queen consort of Aretias
Tenure	2 February 2020 – present
Coronation	2 February 2020
Born	22 August 1991 (age 33); St Tudwal Hospital, Oxonia, Gelonia
Spouse	Constantine, Electoral Prince of Rahdenburg; (m. 2013; d. 2017); Basil IV of Aretias (m. 2020);
Issue; Detail	Conrad, Electoral Prince of Rahdenburg;
Full name
Full name
	Guinevere Alara Beatriz Petra
House	Rouanti
Father	Prince Riocus, Duke of Roazhon
Mother	Victoria of Siliniga
Religion	Church of Gelonia
Education	Alba College, Castellum;

Full name
	Basileios Stephanos Ioannes Konstantinos Markianos

Basil IV
Basil IV
Despot
King of Aretias
Reign	2 October 2015 – present
Coronation	9 January 2016
Predecessor	Andronikos III
Heir presumptive	Zenobia, Crown Princess of Aretias
Born	16 July 1988 (age 36); Aplekton, Basilakia, Aretias
Spouse	Margarita Pinaria; (m. 2013; div. 2018); Guinevere of Roazhon (m. 2020);
Issue; Among others	Zenobia, Crown Princess of Aretias; Princess Beatrice of Aretias; Princess Constantia of Aretias;
Full name
Full name
	Basileios Stephanos Ioannes Konstantinos Markianos
House	Byzennios
Father	Andronikos III of Aretias
Mother	Irene of Nyrundy
Religion	Ecumenical Church
Education	[some Gariman boarding school]; Academia Militaris Olympia;

Guinevere of Roazhon (Guinevere Alara Beatriz Petra; b. 22 August 1991), commonly referred to as Princess Guinevere, is a member of the Gelonian Royal Family. She is the third child and eldest daughter of Prince Riocus, Duke of Roazhon and Victoria of Silingia. At the time of her birth, she was 4th in the line of succession to the Gelonian throne; she is 12th currently.

She is currently Queen of Aretias by virtue of her 2020 marriage to King Basil IV. She was previously married to Constantine, Electoral Prince of Rahdenburg, with whom she had one child before his untimely death in 2017.

Early life and education

Guinevere was born on 22 August 1991 at St Tudwal Hospital, in Oxonia. She is the third child of Prince Riocus, Duke of Roazhon and Victoria of Silingia. Guinevere was baptized into the Church of Gelonia at Saint-Brieuc Basilica in May 1991. Her godparents are then Arthur, Duke of Oxonia (her paternal uncle); and Princess Maira of Gaemar (Arthur's wife); Mathilda of Silingia (her mother's sister); Richard of Ghant (Mathilda's husband).

Guinevere was primarily raised in Oxonia with her parents and brother. She was educated at public school for primary schooling at her grandfather's behest, though attended a private, Church of Gelonia-affiliated institution for secondary school. Guinevere began her tertiary education, in 2009, at Oxonia City University. However, she left Oxonia City University after her first semester and took a gap year. During her gap year, Guinevere spent most of her time in Ghish, and was often seen at Inperiala Palace, though she did travel to Garima, South Ottonia, Sudmark, Arthurista, and Sante Reze.

In fall 2011, Guinevere enrolled at Alba College, Castellum where she studied

Personal life

Titles, styles, and honors

Styles

22 September 1991 – present: Her Royal Highness Princess Guinevere of Roazhon
19 October 2013 – present: Her Serene Highness The Electoral Princess of Rahdenburg
7 February 2020 – present: Her Majesty The Queen