Ctésifon

From Almeopedia

Ctésifon
Native:	Ctesifon
Verdurian:	Ctésifon
Characteristics
Capital:	Žésifo
Government:	Parliamentary monarchy
Language:	Verdurian
Relative prosperity:	86
Population:	680,000
% Pagan:	82
% Eleďe:	14
% None:	0
Currency
Gold	bes 12
	besima 4
Silver	glavo .85
	pelant 1/4
Emur	alati 1/12

Ctésifon is the name of a modern kingdom on the Svetla-- essentially a city-state centered on Žésifo, the capital of the modern state of Ctésifon.

Neighbors: Krasnaya (to N), Isiza (to W), Curiya (to SW), Guaya, Svetla (to SE), Solhai (to E)

This article focusses on the kingdom; for the city see Žésifo.

The Dalmaž dynasty

At the end of the Dark Years Žésifo was ruled by the Curiyans. In 2917 the Curiyans were expelled by the marquis Bura, who proclaimed himself Emperor (atabo) though he never ruled more than modern Ctésifon plus Solhai, Guaya, and Bažra. A few outlying regions sent declarations of meaningless loyalty, or gifts which could be interpreted as tribute.

Bura was content with this, but not his son Ertala. Ertala demanded tribute and fealty from Caleon, lord of Verduria. Caleon did come, but found Ertala so arrogant that he left and proclaimed himself sovereign (2943).

Ertala raised an army and rode north; Caleon destroyed it (2950), then marched into Ctesifon, declaring that he would have Ertala thrashed like a schoolboy. Ertala committed suicide rather than submit to this, and Ctesifon passed under Verdurian rule.

Řiseon dynasty

Dalmaž dynasty
2917-41	Bura (marquis of Dalmaž)
2941-50	Ertala
Řiseon dynasty
3198-3219	Ribelgo (duke of Řiseon)
3219-42	Iruneon
3242-71	Nusfona
3271-73	Ribelgo 2e
3273-96	Čipelric
3296-3305	Ďumil, called Ďumilenko
Aďlon dynasty
3358-3384	Čipelric (marquis of Aďlon)
3384-3404	Érefar
3404-3415	Čipelric 2e
3415-3438	Onop
3438-3462	Nuzvuran
3462-	Onop 2e

During Verduria’s dark years under the wizards Utu, Ribelgo, the duke of Řiseon, re-established Ctesifon’s independence (3198); he styled himself eloro, a reflex of Caď. elorion ‘king’, rather than either atabo ‘emperor’ or the kingly title dalu used elsewhere in the Plain.

Verduria flourished under the Eleďe dynasty, but its kings respected Ctésifon's independence. This became a constant complaint of the pagans, who could hardly criticize the Eleďi and their followers for defeating Utu and bringing prosperity, but could certainly protest that they were insufficiently devoted to Verduria's Caďinorian heritage. They considered it an outrage that Žésifo was not under Verdurian rule. This was of moment only to Verdurian politics until 3302, when the pagan Abolineron dynasty succeeded the Eleďi.

The first Abolineron king, Mëranac 1e, lost little time; in 3304 he marched to Žésifo at the head of his army, took over the Royal Palace, and announced that "negotiations should begin" on the accession of Ctésifon to Verdurian rule. The young Ctésifoni monarch, Ďumilenko, was alternately cajoled and threatened, and both privately and publicly gave mixed messages to his people, sometimes demanding resistance, other times welcoming "our Northern protectors". The Konselora, the Ctésifoni legislature, finally bowed to the inevitable; by a 29-21 vote it accepted Verdurian sovereignty, on condition that Ďumilenko be retained as suršoh or Archduke (3305).

Aďlon dynasty

In just a generation the Abolineroni collapsed into civil war, as Mëranac's daughter Icëlana contested the throne with his grandson Ažerey 2e. Amid the confusion, Čipelric, the marquis (surcont) of Aďlon, took power in Ctésifon (3358). Ažerey sent a small force southward; it occupied Žésifo, but Čipelric retained the fortress of Tasurcaln and the countryside, and harrassed the Verdurians to the extent that they tired of the conflict and abandoned the country.

One of Čipelric's first actions was to demote the Řiseons back to dukes (šohî).

The kingdom has prospered under the Aďloni, and enjoys a sort of predominance over its neighbors Guaya and Bažra; it's widely believed that the Aďloni are looking for an opportunity to bully these states into Ctésifoni suzerainty.