Tariq VII

Tariq VII
Reign	3 December 2019 – Present
Coronation	1 September 2020
Predecessor	Salman VIII
Heir presumptive	Prince Ahmed of Arabia
Born	14 October 1993 Al Salaam Palace, Babylon, Mesopotamia, Babylonian Empire
Spouse	none
Issue Detail	none
House	Aziz
Father	Salman VIII
Mother	Tasmin Ammar
Religion	Islam

Tariq VII (Tariq bin Salman bin Abdullah bin Aziz, born 14 October 1993) is Emperor of Babylon and its dependencies.

Tariq was born at al-Salaam palace in Babylon at 03:14 on 14 October 1993. The first child of Emperor Salman VIII and his third wife, the 29-year-old Tasmin Ammar, being born three days after his father's 73rd birthday. Tariq was educated at home until he was 8, at which time his mother enrolled him in public school. It was Tariq's interactions with his classmates while in public school that would color his outlook for ascending the throne later in life. At the age of 15, Tariq was installed as Prince of Persia, the titular honor given to the heir-apparent of Babylon. Shortly thereafter, he began to take on more public duties as his aging father was becoming incapable of handling the workload due to his age and slowly deteriorating health. After finishing public school two years early at the age of 16, Tariq enrolled at the prestigious Imperial Babylonian University where he earned a Masters Degree in Political Science with a minor in History. Tariq then served in the Babylonian Army starting in 2015, being commissioned as a Captain due to his level of education per Babylonian Military convention and by 2019 had attained the rank of Brigadier General. He served until the death of his father.

Upon the death of his father on 3 December 2019, Tariq became Emperor of Babylon and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Tariq is currently not married and has no children. His heir presumptive is his 91-year-old Uncle, Prince Ahmed of Arabia. Tariq's coronation is slated for 1 September 2020 in Babylon, Mesopotamia. He is also Commander-in-Chief of the Babylonian Armed Forces.

Early Life

He was born in Al Salaam Palace in Babylon, Mesopotamia at 3:14am on 14 October 1993. He was the only surviving child of Emperor Salman VIII, who at the time of Tariq's birth was 73, and the only child of Empress Aliya, Salman's third wife, who was 29 at the time of Tariq's birth. His full name, Tariq bin Salman bin Adbullah bin Aziz consists of the names of his father, Salman VIII, and his grandfather, Abdullah X, and the family's royal house name, Aziz. He was named Tariq due to its meaning, "to strike" or "strike" because the pregnancy seemingly struck like a lightning bolt, mostly owing to the age of his father. Shortly after his birth, he was styled Prince Tariq. At the age of 5, he was made a member of the Noble Order of the Desert, the family's highest honor, and bestowed with the title, His Serenity, the Crown Prince of Babylon.  

By all accounts, Tariq was an easy-going child whose manner seemed dictated by the ever-driving desire for fun and laughter. According to his personal tutor, Ali Kazim, the young prince was a "darling little boy who laughed and played as if he had no cares in the world. His smile would brighten the day of the palace servants and his father and mother." At the age of 8, Tariq was enrolled in public schools by his mother. Empress Aliya believed that enrolling Tariq in public school would give him a better understanding of the world around him and the troubles the everyday person encountered. At the age of 10, he befriended a boy named Nasir Ramzi, who became his closest and best friends and so remains until this day. The two boys developed an inseparable bond. The two boys would often compete with one another in athletic pursuits, with Tariq often showcasing his speed while Nasir often showcasing his strength. At 14, Tariq entered the Babylonian Tertiary School for Boys. Tariq devoted himself to his studies and graduated two years early at the age of 16. He enrolled at the Imperial Babylon University where he understood studied in political science and history. As in his studies in lower levels before, he devoted himself to his studies and shunned the more frivolous extracurricular activities that young men at university often indulged and graduated with a Masters degree in Political Science and a minor in History.

Heir Apparent

At the age of 15, Tariq was established as Prince of Persia by his father at the Imperial Palace, Tehran. The lavish ceremony was the first to be streamed online and broadcast on all commercial networks in Babylon. During the ceremony, he pledge to remain loyal to his father and to devote his life ever to the betterment of the Babylonian people. After the ceremony, a gala reception was held at the palace for the entire Imperial family. Two days later, Tariq stood in for his father at the dedication of a new bridge in Babylon over the River Tigris. He also stood in for him in inspecting the troops at the annual Military Day Parade in Babylon in 2008. As his father aged, Tariq began to handle more and more of the duties carried out by his father while delicately balancing his obligations to the army. When Tariq could not stand in, he would often deputize his mother to stand in his place.

Military Career

On June 1, 2015, Tariq opted to follow in the tradition of the Imperial family and serve his nation in the military. Tariq joined the army and completed his basic training at Joint Forces Training Center on the eastern coast of Kuwait. Upon completion of his basic training, he was granted the rank of Captain in the Babylonian Army due to his level of education. He was then sent to Army Base Kabul where he worked with the 4th Armored Division in the logistics corps. He remained at the post for two years, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before being transferred to Army Base Basra where he commanded the 17th Armored Division. In his stint at Basra, he was promoted to the rank of Colonel in 2018 and then Brigadier General in 2019. During his time, Babylon was at peace and the empire saw no military deployments during Tariq's stay in the army. On 3 December 2019, he was summoned from his command by his commander, Major General Omar Masood. He was given leave to return to Babylon due to his father's ailing health. Unfortunately, Tariq arrived a mere 15 minutes after his father had passed. He was officially discharged from the army the following day.

Sports

From a young age, Tariq possessed a keen interest in sporting competition. According to Empress Aliya, Tariq, "would watch football with his father even when he was too young to really know what was going on." During his time in public school, he participated in the basketball and volleyball teams earning a starting spot on the volleyball team. During his time at university, he participated on the universities track and field team, winning a gold medal during a collegiate olympics for the 100m dash. As Prince of Persia, he was an honorary chairman of the Babylonian Football League. He is a keen supporter of FC Babylon and is on the Board of Directors of the club in an advisory role.

Titles, Styles, Honors, Arms

• 17 October 1993 - 14 October 1998: His Imperial Highness, The Prince Tariq
• 14 October 1998 - 3 December 2019: His Serenity, the Crown Prince of Babylon
• 14 October 2008 - 3 December 2019: His Imperial Highness, The Prince of Persia
• 3 December 2019 - Present: His Imperial Majesty, Tariq VII