House of Vasiliou
| House of Vasiliou Βασίλειου | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country |  Lihnidos |
| Founded | 402 AD |
| Founder | Antonis of Imbressos |
| Current head | Stella II |
| Titles |
|
The House of Vasiliou is a Lihnidosi royal house in Belisaria. House Vasiliou can trace its roots back to Antonis of Imbressos who was the first Count of Imbressos in 402 AD. The family gained influence among the nobility of the Kingdom of Xanthi while ruling over Imbressos. The family maintained their titles in Xanthi and later the Latin Empire following the Latin invasions and eventual integration of the kingdom into the empire. Among the first nobility of the kingdom to accept and pledge support to the Latin Emperor, the family was awarded by being named the Lord Palatines of Ithaca. Following the independence of Ithaca from the Latin Empire in 1050 the family was stripped of their titles awarded to them by the Latins but were allowed to keep the County of Imbressos under their control. In 1644 Sokratis of Imbressos was installed as the King of Ithaca after a successful rebellion against the previous king, Yorgos II. Vasilious remained as the kings and queens of Ithaca until 1753 when Konstantina IV of Ithaca claimed the throne of the Empire of Lihnidos and was named empress following the Lihnidosi War of Succession in 1754. The current head of the House of Vasiliou and Empress of Lihnidos is Stella II.
History
House Vasiliou was founded in 402 AD after Antonis Vasiliou was awarded the title Count of Imbressos by King Nero I of Xanthi. Members of the House of Vasiliou remained as the counts and countesses of Imbressos under the Kingdom of Xanthi until 413 when the Latin Empire began invasions into the kingdom with the goal of bringing it under the control of the empire. On the western edge of the Xanthi kingdom, Imbressos was one of the first areas brought under Latin control. Orestis of Imbressos, the count at the time of the invasions, quickly swore fealty to the Latin Emperor and was permitted to retain his title under Latin rule. His quick pledge of allegiance to the Latin Emperor was later awarded in 415 when Orestis was named the Lord Palatine of Ithaca. As the Lord Palatine, Orestis oversaw the Latin Empire's expansion into the Kingdom of Xanthi to the east and administered the land and nobility in the Ithacan region of the empire. Orestis's quick denouncement of the Xanthi nobility and monarchy which he had previously been loyal to resulted in several feuds and rivalries with previous friends and acquaintances in the Xanthi nobility. Several of these nobles were either killed or stripped of their titles during or following Xanthi coming under Latin control.
In 1050 Ithaca gain its independence from the Latin Empire as the empire began to collapse in what was the Kingdom of Xanthi. Seven years prior in 1043 another portion of Xanthi had broken away from the Latin Empire and formed the Kingdom of Thasos. Thasos's success in breaking away from the Latin Empire encouraged discontent nobility in Ithaca and by 1048 several members of the nobility in Ithaca were actively planning a rebellion against the Latin Emperor. House Vasiliou, still the Lords Palatine of Ithaca during this period, did not join the rebelling nobility when the rebellion was launched, however there was no attempt by the family or its forces to prevent the rebellion. Its neutrality in the conflict spared it, and in 1050 House Vasiliou was stripped of its titles given to it by the Latin Emperor but permitted to retain the County of Imbressos.
Still a powerful house with numerous alliances in the new Kingdom of Ithaca, House Vasiliou was able to continue acting as an influential powerbroker in the kingdom. In 1644 Sokratis of Imbressos was able to install himself as the King of Ithaca after a short rebellion which saw the previous king surrender the throne. Sokratis declared himself as Oceanus I of Ithaca and ruled in peace for twenty seven years. In 1671, Oceanus I entered a war against Queen Theodora II of Thasos. In 1674, Oceanus surrendered the kingdom to Theodora II. Following the victory, Theodora II proclaimed the First Lihnidosi Empire and permitted Oceanus to remain as a vassal king under her rule. House Vasilou remained as the monarchs of the Kingdom of Ithaca until 1753. In 1752, Empress Maria II of Lihnidos was assassinated by a contingent of imperial guardsmen who are believed to have been loyal to the current Queen of Ithaca, Konstantina IV. The death of Maria II resulted in Konstantina IV claiming the Lihnidosi throne, and with support from Queen Honna II of Messenia was able to take the throne in 1753.
Following the proclamation of the Second Lihnidosi Empire in 1753 by Empress Konstantina I, House Vasiliou remained on the throne and still rules as the monarchs of Lihnidos.
Assets
House Vasiliou is believed to be one of the wealthiest families in Lihnidos. While the personal finances and investment portfolios of the members has been kept confidential, the family has accrued vast wealth over several centuries as monarchs of the Empire. It is difficult to differentiate the private wealth of the family from the amenities they are awarded by the government. Several of the residences that are considered to be owned by the family are in fact owned by the government under the Crown Trust which is available to the monarch of the Empire. All residences, both personally owned and under control of the Crown Trust, are valuated to be in the hundreds of millions of Denarii. The family personally owns a number of private transportation vehicles, ranging from private airplanes to yachts to several sports cars.
Members
Family Tree and Succession
The list below shows the direct descendants of Empress Selene II. There is no official line of succession, as the monarch is able to choose any of their children to succeed them. Any illegitimate children are ineligible to inherit, as is anyone who enters elected politics, marries without the consent of the monarch, or is not a Fabrian Catholic.
The line of succession, while able to follow a general guideline, is never certain under Lihnidosi law. The monarch is able to choose any of their legitimate children to succeed them as long as the intended successor does not violate any succession laws. The monarch must announce their intended heir to the Crown Council, which will then debate their legitimacy and worthiness. Once the council debates the intended successor a decision will be made as to whether the monarch's chosen heir receives support from the council. Any heir must receive and keep the support of the council in order to become and remain heir. While it is the norm for the monarch to choose their eldest child, it is not unheard of for a monarch to choose someone other than their eldest child to be considered. If a monarch dies without an heir being approved by the council, the council will select the next monarch. They are expected to follow the unofficial line of succession when making their considerations.
Empress Selene II (1923-2000)
- Empress Teresa (1953-2007)
Empress Stella II (b. 1977)
- (1) Princess Efthymia, Duchess of Rhithasa (b. 1998)
- (2) Prince Spyridion of Lihnidos (b. 1998)
- (3) Princess Maria of Lihnidos (b. 2000)
- (4) Princess Athanasia of Lihnidos (b. 2001)
- (5) Princess Aleka, Grand Duchess of Thasos (b. 1977)
- (6) Princess Tiara of Thasos (b. 1998)
- (7) Princess Iris of Thasos (b. 2002)
- (8) Prince Adrian of Lihnidos (b. 1981)
- (9) Prince Athanasios of Lihnidos (b. 1998)
- (10) Prince Myron of Lihnidos (b. 2001)
- (11) Princess Agnes of Lihnidos (b. 2012)
- (12) Princess Zoe of Lihnidos (b. 2015)
- (13) Princess Astrid of Lihnidos (b. 1981)
- (14) Princess Aspasia of Lihnidos (b. 2002)
- (15) Princess Evangelina of Lihnidos (b. 2004)
- (16) Princess Stefania of Lihnidos (b. 2006)
- (17) Prince Alexio of Lihnidos (b. 2009)
- (18) Prince Orrin, Count of Edinus (b. 1983)
- (19) Prince John of Edinus (b. 2007)
- (20) Prince Theodosis of Edinus (b. 2009)
- (21) Princess Lena of Edinus (b. 2013)
- (22) Prince Nikolai, Count of Taurenus (b. 1957)
- (23) Prince Christopher of Taurenus (b. 1982)
- (24) Prince Christian of Taurenus (b. 2004)
- (25) Prince Damen of Taurenus (b. 2007)
- (26)Princess Kara of Taurenus (b. 1986)
- (27)Princess Larissa of Taurenus (b. 2010)
- (23) Prince Christopher of Taurenus (b. 1982)
- (28)Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Paloton (b. 1960)
- (29)Princess Kathleen of Paloton (b. 1984)
- (30)Princess Hallie of Paloton (b. 2003)
- (31)Princess Calandra of Paloton (b. 2004)
- (32)Princess Dorinda of Paloton (b. 2007)
- (33)Princess Irene of Paloton (b. 1986)
- (34)Princess Layna of Paloton (b. 2011)
- (35) Prince Jase of Paloton (b. 2013)
- (36) Prince Donus of Paloton (b. 1988)
- (37) Prince Theodorus of Paloton (b. 2017)
- (38) Princess Sandra of Paloton (b. 1992)
- (39) Prince Cyrus of Tarsas (b. 2015)
- (29)Princess Kathleen of Paloton (b. 1984)
Notes:
- EL This member of the Imperial Family has forfeit their position in the line of succession by entering elected politics.
- UM This member of the Imperial Family has forfeit their position in the line of succession by marrying without the consent of the monarch.
- NF This member of the Imperial Family is ineligible to inherit the throne due to not being a Fabrian Catholic.
See also
House of Vasiliou
| ||
| Preceded by House of Laskaris |
Ruling House of Lihnidos 1753–present |
Incumbent |