Lore:Cephorus I

The UESPWiki – Your source for The Elder Scrolls since 1995
Jump to: navigation, search
Emperor Cephorus Septim I
Race Unknown Gender Male
Born 3E 77
Died 3E 140
Reign 3E 127-
3E 140
Previous Ruler Uriel III
Next Ruler Magnus Septim
Resided in Imperial City
Gilane

Emperor Cephorus Septim I was the tenth emperor of the Septim Dynasty. He is described as a kind and intelligent man, but also a great warrior.[1] He was preceded by his nephew, Uriel III and was succeeded by his younger brother, Magnus Septim.[1]

Biography[edit]

Early Life and King of Gilane[edit]

Cephorus Septim was born during the reign of his grandfather Emperor Uriel II in 3E 77 to the future Emperor Pelagius II and his second wife, Quintilla.[nb 1][2][1][3][4] Cephorus was the younger brother of Antiochus, Potema, and the older brother of Magnus.[2][1][5] By 3E 98, Cephorus was betrothed to the Redguard Bianki, Queen of Gilane.[nb 2][3] In 3E 99, Cephorus attended the funeral of his father, Pelagius II, and the coronation of his successor, Cephorus' older brother, Antiochus, in the Imperial City.[3][6]

By 3E 109, Bianki had borne Cephorus several children.[nb 2][7] By 3E 119, his reign as king was marked by good governance, and he maintained good relations with other Tamrielic kingdoms.[8] In 3E 120, after the death of Antiochus, he attended his funeral in the Imperial City and the coronation of his niece Kintyra in the Imperial City.[8][9][10] Before the funeral of Antiochus, his sister Potema gave a speech before the Elder Council in which she asserted that the heir apparent was not the daughter of Emperor Antiochus.[8][5] Cephorus' nephew, Uriel, also make similar accusations.[11] After hearing of the speech, Kintyra banished Potema and Uriel from the Imperial Court, and they returned to Solitude.[8][5] Cephorus also intended to speak to the Elder Council, but it is unknown if he ever spoke to them.[8] On 3 First Seed, 3E 120, he attended the coronation of Kintyra II as the Empress of Tamriel.[9]

War of the Red Diamond[edit]

In 3E 121, the War of the Red Diamond broke out and split the Empire in half.[9][11] Kintyra II was captured, and Uriel then invaded the Imperial Province and captured the under-defended Imperial City after a siege that only lasted a fortnight, and he was crowned Emperor Uriel Septim III.[12][11][6] After Uriel III was crowned Emperor, Cephorus allied with Magnus to oppose Uriel III.[5][10][12] The kings of Hammerfell, the Summerset Isles, Valenwood, Elsweyr, southern Morrowind, and Black Marsh mostly supported Cephorus, while his nephew's support was mostly limited to Skyrim, Cyrodiil, northern Morrowind, and High Rock, minus the Isle of Balfiera.[1][10][12]

Cephorus concentrated his army on the war in High Rock, which was the location of some of the bloodiest battles of the war.[10][12] In the summer of 3E 125, he reconquered western High Rock, and by 3E 127, he had reconquered all of High Rock.[12][1] In 3E 127, Cephorus and his army defeated Uriel III and the Imperial Army at the Battle of Ichidag in Hammerfell, and Uriel III was captured in the aftermath of the battle.[1][10][4] Uriel III was placed in a carriage for transport to the Imperial City to stand trial, but while en route to the Imperial City, a mob overtook his carriage and burned him alive within it.[12][1][5] In the immediate aftermath of Uriel III's death, Cephorus was proclaimed Emperor of Tamriel.[1][4][6]

Emperor of Tamriel[edit]

Cephorus I's accession led many royals, nobles, and troops formerly loyal to Uriel and Potema to pledge themselves to him.[4][5] In return for their support, the royalty and nobility of the provinces demanded and received greater autonomy and independence from the Empire.[4] Cephorus I's accession marked the official end of the War of the Red Diamond, but the next decade was a period of constant warfare against Potema.[5][1][4] He had to deal with attack after attack on his forces by Potema's army of Daedra and undead.[5][4] During the decade of warfare, the Emperor reclaimed all the territory of his sister's remaining allies until only Potema's own Kingdom of Solitude remained outside of Imperial control.[5][4] In 3E 136, his wife, Bianki, died.[nb 2][4] In 3E 137, Cephorus ended the almost two decades of warfare that nearly tore the Empire apart when Potema died after a month-long siege of the Blue Palace.[5][1][4] After the siege, the Emperor placed his nephew, Pelagius, on the throne of Solitude.[10] In 3E 140, Cephorus died after falling from his horse, and he was succeeded by his brother, Magnus.[1][4][6]

Notes[edit]

  • 1  Biography of the Wolf Queen states that the name of Cephorus' mother was Qizara, while The Wolf Queen states that her name was Quintilla.
  • 2  Sources are conflicted on whether Cephorus had children or was ever even married. The Wolf Queen states that Cephorus married Bianki of Gilane, with whom he had children, and that Bianki and all their children were dead by the time of the Siege of Solitude. The Madness of Pelagius states that Cephorus never married and died childless. And Brief History of the Empire states that Cephorus never had time during the war years to marry.

References[edit]