Apollo I of Atresca

Apollo I
Portrait of Apollo, painted in 1875
King of Atresca and the Atrescan Dominions and Territories, Emperor of the Orkuz (more..)
Reign	2 March 1858 – 14 October 1900
Coronation	2 March 1858
Predecessor	Position established
Successor	Apollo II
Duke of Satesia
Reign	4 February 1849 – 2 March 1858
Coronation	4 February 1849
Predecessor	Nino V
Successor	Himself as King of Atresca
Born	19 July 1818 Gironda Palace, Rocca, Atresca
Died	14 October 1900(1900-10-14) (aged 82) Troping, Atresca
Burial	St. Alydian's Cathedral, Albasini
Spouse	Elisea, Duchess of Callura
Issue	Apollo Ildegarda Evandro Mancio
House	Venutti
Father	Nino, Duke of Satesia
Mother	Alberta Freda
Religion	Orthodox Alydianism

Apollo I (19 July 1818 – 14 October 1900; aged 82) was an Atrescan royal, military general, statesmen and patriot who ruled as Duke of Satesia from 1849 and 1858 and as King of Atresca after its unification in 1858 to his death in 1900. Considered one of the most influential royals in 19th-century Asura, Apollo laid the framework for an Atrescan state throughout the 1850s, delivering several speeches and publishing many books on the topic, seeing the unification of Atresca as a necessary force to overcome the rising Asuran powers of the United Kingdom of Lhedwin and Veleaz. Gaining a famous casus belli on the neighbouring Pianzine Republic in 1853 at the Strazza Street Incident, Apollo would embark on five years of brutal conflict throughout Atresca that affected most of the country's constituent realms. He led Atresca through the First Great War and into the 20th century, before passing in the October of 1900.

Apollo was born in 1818 to Nino V, the reigning Duke of Satesia, and would see an extremely priveliged upbringing. Notable at an early age for his lack of intellect, Apollo struggled through school and was often sidelined in favour of his younger brother Gerardo, who displayed significantly more potential as a ruler. Apollo would join the military aged 17, and would spend much of his early adult years there. Gerardo and Apollo were the only sons to Nino, whilst his four other siblings were sisters. Gerardo mysteriously disappeared in 1841, leading some to believe Apollo was behind the disappearance. Due to Satesian inheritence laws, the title of Duke of Satesia passed to Apollo in 1849, immediately setting out to outline his proposals of Atrescan unification. A failed assassination attempt in Rocca in 1851 by the King of Senna brought the idea of Atrescan unification to the forefront of 19th-century Atrescan philosophy, gaining popularity amongst nationalist philosophers particularly due to rising power of neighbouring Midrasia, Veleaz and Lhedwin in the north. When the Doge of Pianzano attempted to conduct a hit-and-run on Apollo's son, also named Apollo, Apollo set out on unifying the Atrescan states via conflict, refusing to accept internal quarrels that would "divide the Atrescan nation".

Apollo swept through Pianzano and up into Chiusa, Bardelia, Monte Sora and Tiano, before launching an extensive campaign in Varenna. Hoping for a dual-monarch solution, the Kingdom of Callura-Friola attempted to negotiate an agreement with the rising Atrescan state, however Apollo refused the agreement and declared war on the southern kingdoms, launching a lengthy and bloody campaign in Callura. Extensive naval conflict was seen around Troping and the Valdinas Islands, with Apollo's victory in the Asur Sea setting the tone for Atrescan naval doctrine throughout the pre-war period. The unification of Atresca concluded with the signing of the Trassilia Declaration in 1858, officially unifying the Atrescan state. Apollo created the Atrescan parliament in 1862 and elections for the upper-class citizens began in 1863, with the Apollisti winning a majority of seats, a classical liberal monarchist party. Apollo encouraged heavy Atrescan participation in colonialism and imperialism in Majula, Vestrim and Catai and expanded the Atrescan empire's holdings across the globe with the bolstering of the Atrescan Navy. Apollo also supported Atrescan entry into the First Great War in support of Midrasia and the Grand Alliance, ultimately contributing to the fall of the Concordat and propelling Atresca to a position of large global power with the signing of the Millennial Peace. Apollo died in 1900 and was given a full state funeral, attended by many of the Great War's famous leaders. He was buried at St. Alydian's Cathedral in Albasini, which would become the traditional resting place for Atrescan monarchs thereafter.

Apollo is both lauded and praised by historians and contemporaries. He is regarded as one of Asura's and Atresca's greatest rulers, however is criticised for his warmongering attitude, disregard for civilian life during Atrescan Unification, and is sometimes criticised for his involvement in the disappearance of his brother Gerardo. Despite this, he is extremely well-received in Atresca and is perceived as a national hero who unified the country in its time of need.

Official title

In official documents, Apollo's full title was:

By the grace of God, the most excellent and revered sovereign monarch of all Atresca, Emperor of Orzu, Duke of Satesia, Duke of San Liano, King of Boccafalco, Doge of Trassilia, Duke of Tiano, Duke of Monte Sora, Duke of Chiusa, King of Varenna, Doge of Pianzano, King of Calluro, King of Friola, King of Senna and Duke of Troping, and ruler of many others lands west and east, successor and sovereign and ruler.