Andeja I of Derita
| Andeja I | |
|---|---|
| Emperor of the Celestial Empire | |
| Reign | 4 June 2103 — 5 May 2125 |
| Coronation | 6 October 2104 |
| Predecessor | Gitte II |
| Successor | Andeja II of Derita |
| Prime Minister | Arjo Nicollier Duke of Angoulême Duke of Aumale Count of Pecherde Duke of Maine Emilien Vaugrenaud Louis Hollande Louis Varies |
| Born | Andeja Gitte 8 April 2035 Fontainebleau Palace, Derita |
| Died | 5 May 2125 (aged 90) Tajiygitte Palace, Derita |
| Burial | 15 May 2125 Emperor Isle |
| Spouse | Theresa of Naples (m.2057-2096) Anaressa Hollande (m.2103-2121) |
| Issue | Andeja II of Derita Prince Alexandre, Duke of Alençon Prince Antoine, Duke of Anjou Angèle, Empress of Seidang Princess Alara, Countess of Fionete Princess Anaressa, 2nd Duchess of Halliun Princess Yonela |
| Dynasty | Volonte |
| Father | Gitte II of Derita |
| Mother | Alara of Russlande |
Andeja I (Andeja Gitte; 8 April 2035 – 5 May 2125) was Emperor of the Celestial Empire of Derita from 4 June 2103 until his death in 2125. The eldest son and child of Gitte II and Alara of Russlande, he was from birth heir to two empires. He was the longest serving heir apparent in Deritain history, waiting 68 years between his birth and his ascension to the throne.
During the long reign of his parents, Andeja was largely excluded from political affairs until the 2070s, when he began to serve as regent for both of his parents. Throughout the 2050s and 2060s he was a key military figure and participated in several conflicts across the country. Following the deteriorating health of Gitte II in the 2080s Andeja would serve as Prince Regent until his ascension to the throne in 2103.
As Emperor, Andeja was faced with the crisis of the Great Collapse and relied heavily on traditionalist and isolationist policies in orderto perserve tge empire. He moved the capital to Aukusa City and attempted, though failed to establish an ultra-royalist control over the government. His alliance with the Hollande Family was notable and he has been seen as a man who maintained the empire in a time of crisis.
Early Life and Education
Andeja was born in Fontainebleau Palace in Fontainebleau, Derita to Emperor Gitte II and Empress Alara if Russlande. Their first child, the birth of an heir after twenty years of marriage lead to Andeja being seen by many as a miracle. Alara, the infamous grime and violence woman wasa doting mother and kept Andeja by her side for the first few years of his life, meeting worh foreign official and tending to governance with her eldest son in her arms or on her lap.
Andeja was, despite his mother's advanced age, followed in quick succession by three younger sisters and later a younger brother when Andeja was 9. Alara would direct her son's education and childhood. Russen tutors selected by his mother educated him in governance and warfare, while his Deritain ones focused on academics and court etiquette. Andeja inherited his mother's blunt and domineering attitude, prefering to deployment of hard over soft power.
When he was 15, Andeja entered a military academy and the Celestial Army, quickly rising through the ranks. He threw himself into his studies and duties, becoming an expert in languages, weaponry, strategy anf tactics, and mastered skills like martial combat, horseriding and shooting. While the crown prince's natural talent and hard work was certainly a factor on his rise through the ranks, it is agreed amongst historians that his promotion to general was due to his father.
It was while at military academy that Andeja met his life ling best friend, Louis-Antoine, Duke of Angoulême, later Prince of Gante. The grandson of the then Princess of Gante, Louis-Antoine was a few years older than Andeja and shared many of the crown prince's values. The two got along with ease and would remain inseperable for the next fifty plus years until Louis-Antoine's death. At this time his mother also began the search for a wife for Andeja.
Early adulthood
Andeja's first international appearance was in 2055 when he was still 19 as representive of his mother at the Londres Accords discussing the international laws of space. Andeja spoke on behalf of the newly launched Russen space station, Tsar III, and he was noted for being both charming and well spoken in his address to the assembled group.
Following the unfolding of a crisis in Espana in the wake of the Borbon Restoration, it was decided that a Deritain intervention was need. Andeja, recently appointed a general at only twenty-one, with the help of his mother, convinced his father to give him command of the operation. Louis-Antoine, also a young general, would join him, along with a third commander selected by Emperor Gitte. Andeja lead a lighting campaign across Espana and within a week had achieved victory.
Andeja would go on to serve as an active general for Deritain expenditionary forces, serving in the Spanish-Dutch Wars and the Regency War, where Andeja fought in lighting campaigns intended to deal swift victory with minimal damage to his own forces. Louis-Antoine would almost always go on gi serve as the crown prince's second in command. The pair however did gain a reputaion of only getting directly involved on the brink of victory.
Crown Prince
From birth Andeja was Crown Prince of Derita, thought it was not until he was 21 did he begin to take up duties given tohim by his parents. Following the success of the Spanish Campaign, a great ball celebrating the victory was held at Fontainebleau, the official resudence of the Imperial Family. At the direction of the Empress, suitable ladies from across the continent were chosen to attend in order to provide a bride for her son.
Several foreign princesses were considered, Princess Ava of North Timeria, Princess Elise of Genes and even, albeit briefly Charlotte of Geneva. However it was soon agreed that Andeja, like his father, should marry a monarch. Thus eyes fell on Princess Theresa of Venise, daughter of the late King of Venise, and more importantly the adoptive heiress of Queen Julianna of Naples, ex-wife of Charles II of Espana.
Andeja and Theresa, despite being pushed towards one another by their mothers, were able to found true fondness in one another. The pair danced at the ball at Fontainebleau and within a week were engaged. The marriage however would wait until after Queen Julianna, already sickly, died and so whenshe did so a few weeks later in early 2057, they married. The marriage, while a personal success, would be later regarded by the Emperor as a missed opportunity as Naples was a small andlargely irrelevent kingdom quickly absorbed into the empire.
Andeja would lead several more Deritain expenditionary force missions in the 2060s, particpating in the Battle of the Royal Palace at the conclusion of the First Spanish-Dutch War. In 2066, Andeja was first appointed Regent of Russlande following an attack on Saint Petersburg by Charles II and a group of mercenaries. As Regent, Andeja sent his sister, then Josefa, Princess of Asturias, to retrieved their imprisoned brother, Prince Jean and his lover, Empress Charlotte of Connuriste, along with their newborn illegitmate child.
Andeja was notably horrified by his brother's relationship with Charlotte, and quickly arranged for Jean to be returned to his wife, Infanta Elisabeth of Espana. Following the end of his brief regency, Andeja retreated from formal duties in order to spend more time with his family. In 2072 Andeja was appointed Regent of Derita for the first time and lead the country into the Regency War, which resulted in a stalemate and was seen as a failure by his father and resulted in the end of his regency in 2076.
In 2082 Andeja was appointed as the head of Deritain foreign policy and created a plan for using infrastructure in orderto increase Deritain soft powet across the continent and promited city, bridge and port building in smaller poorer countries in order to tie them to the empire. It was also duting this period that Andeja developed the Amagorha, a secret security and police force meant to silemtly enforce the will of the emperor. The Amagorha in future decades became a vital key to the throne's power, designed to remove obstacles and perform assassinations.
The Amagorha as body is to this day secretive, with little known about them. What is known is their high quality skill in combat, with members called Amajoni often called the deadlist individuals in the world. Also known is their fierce and unwavering loyalty to the Emperor alone. The formation of the Amagorha has often been regarded as the greatest achievement of Andeja during his tenure as Crown Prince.