Anbennar (more commonly known as The Empire) is a country surrounding most of the Dameshead, it is an empire built upon its namesake: Anbennar, meaning "communion" or "unity" in Elven: a place where all can live in peace and prosperity.
History
Founding
The Empire of Anbennar was established in 1221 during the Grand Summit of Aranthíl, in which a secret coalition of mages enforced peace in the realm amongst the warlords of the Interregnum. Many of the warlords agreed to put aside their petty squabbles and unite, and those who disagreed forfeited their lands and rule either voluntarily or by force.
Despite the abrupt end of the Interregnum with violent means, the early years of Anbennar prospered with newfound peace (the so-called mages' peace in the region and soon became the most powerful force in all of Cannor.
During this time the Empire was ruled by what is now called a Mage Emperor, the early predecessor that served as the combination of the modern roles of Emperor and Grand Magister. Unlike modern Anbennar, the Mage Emperor was simply elected from within the Magisterium itself.
Wars of Rule
Not long after the empire was established the Wars of Rule broke out in 1244 as the current Mage Emperor, Mathos I the Idle, severely neglected his role of ruling in favour of magical studies. After 41 years of war the period of conflict finally ended, and the Treaty of Aranthíl was signed, splitting the the sovereign roles of Anbennar into two: with a Noble Emperor (whom still had to show magical potential) being elected by a newly formed electorate (which included the Magisterium) and a Grand Magister to serve as the Emperor's lead advisor. This allowed an Emperor that understood magic but had his priorities in diplomacy and ruling the people, and a Grand Magister that could focus on magical pursuits in service of the Empire but also had impact on the political scale.
The Imperial Crisis
In 1338 child of immense magical potential was discovered, who was also conveniently the a scion of the House of Silmuna, one of the most prominent noble houses of the Empire was well as providers of previous famous and successful Emperors.
At the death of the previous Emperor, many believed that the child, Riannón Silmuna, was a avatar of The Dame and prophesized chosen regent, who would unite all of Cannor and the world. and was soon elected as Empress by a slim majority at the age of 5 years old, sparking the Imperial Crisis in 1343.
The period of strife never broke into all-out-war but proved as a crucial factor in the instability of the Empire and the following events of the Lilac Wars, with many believing that a child Empress could not rule properly and be easily manipulated, and that one chosen due to magical talent would bring back the days of the old magocracy before the Wars of Rule, and most importantly the danger of the colossal influence that the House of Silmuna has had on the Empire for much of its existence.
In 1348 it was decided that another imperial election would be held and on the day the Empress was to abdicate, she and her closest advisors locked themselves in a part of the imperial palace. The following events was a Event of 1348: several riots had already broken out all across Anbenncóst, especially from the commonfolk who had wished for a realm-at-peace, and an entire army of nobles and guards had effectively laid siege to the Imperial Palace.
At the point of breaking into their enclosed space, Riannón, in fear of her life, slew many of the guards with her magical powers, and caused many within the rioters in the city to submit to her will and make their way to the palace, slaying all those in their wake. Eventually, one of her bodyguards and her own kin, Ardan Silmuna managed to slay Riannón and her other fanatical advisors before the entirety of the city was burned down, at the expensive of his own life.
Lilac Wars
The Lilac Wars was primarily fought between the House of Silmuna, who held the Grand Duchy of Dameria and at the time, the imperial seat of Anbennar, and the House of Siloriel, rulers of the Kingdom of Lorent, over who should succeed the Lorentish throne.
With the events of the Imperial Crisis over, the electors whom usually supported the Silmunas did not, and without a Silmuna majority an external Emperor was elected for the first time, under the guise of the King of Lorent: Reán Siloriel. This did not go well with many of the other electors, as well as the other minor nobility within the Empire and the Lilac Wars soon began, with the first objective to oust the Lorentish Emperor.
In 1364, 17 years after the start of the First Lilac War, Reán was slain in battle and another imperial election was held, with the war veteran and popular Grand Duke Vincen "the Old Owl" Silmuna" becoming Emperor, even despite the actions of Vincen's own sister Riannón years prior it seems the petty lords of Anbennar preferred an internal Silmuna hegemony than a Lorentish one. The two factions eventually settled peace and the young Vincen was wed to Reán's daughter Eilís Siloriel.
In 1381 the Lorentish throne suffered a succession crisis, in which the current Lorentish queen Reánna III died without trueborn children, placing her aunt, Vincen's wife Eilís as heir to the throne. With this claim and his backing as Emperor, Vincen declared war for the throne of Lorent in what turned into the longest portion of the Lilac Wars, the 20-year Second Lilac War. The war ended with a truce as both sides grew weary.
The Third Lilac War began in 1400, 7 years after the previous war, with Vincen "the Old Owl" pushing his son Adénn's claim to the Lorentish throne and the war nearly came to a Silmuna victory until Vincen's death in 1421.
The Fourth Lilac War continued right after Vincen's death, with the Silmuna family forcing a stall in the election process as Adénn Silmuna raced back home from the war. Upon arriving there, the night before the official elections, Adénn and his host were beset upon in the Battle of the Moon Council by hidden Lorentish forces and men under control of the Emperor-to-be, Lothane III síl Wex. Adénn and his forces survived and claimed victory, despite the losses of many of his powerful followers and own children, and prepared for war against their former allies and Lorent.
Borders of the Empire of Anbennar after the Fourth Lilac War (1444)
The war was fought on two fronts, with Adénn and his Silmuna-loyalists fighting Lothane of Wex within Anbennar proper, and Adénn's allies in the Wine Lords fighting Lorent in its own soil. However, when the Wine Lords capitulated in 1441 Adénn faced a losing war and many of his former allies surrendered also, receiving more generous penalties than what would be served to him and his house. In 1442 the Isle of Damesear was invaded by a coalition of Lorentish and Wexonard forces, and the war eventually ended: within the Imperial Palace and slain by his own kinsman, this time by Erlan of Wesdam, a distant cousin who had allied with Lorent rather than their kin in Dameria.
Politics
Anbennar is ruled by an elected Emperor who rules with the advice of their lead advisor, the Grand Magister.
To be eligible to be an Emperor one must be:
- A noble
- Have magical ability
Since the rule of Aldarion Elventhrone, each emperor is subject to the Elder Pact.
Electors
The Emperor is elected by the Electors, representing various interests of The Empire.
- Istralore: representing the interests of the nobles of the East Dameshead and beyond.
- Pearlsedge: representing the interests of the nobles of the West Dameshead.
- Beepeck: representing the interests of the halfling peoples (the largest minority in the Empire)
- Silverforge: representing the interests of the dwarven peoples (the second largest minority)
- Moonhaven: representing the interests of the elven peoples (the most influential minority)
- Damescrown: representing the interests of the merchants, as well as the nobles of the Damescrown region
- Magisterium: representing the interests of magic-users