Chronicles of The Axum Empire, Part II
The empire fractures, Sinsare takes control, multiple successors lay claim to the throne.
From Book Eight of Kannes — Xcelon
Akanasin’s proclaimed heir was Xestes, her third son but he abdicated before being ratified by the central government. Xestes decision led to two of Akanasin’s other sons proclaiming themselves King. The first was Medesses, who was recognized by the Imperium as son of Akanasin and Lord Sydan. The second was Zrathes, son of Akanasin with her second husband Imedel, who was recognized by Terran, Erus, Ubunta, Soma and Summa.
Medesses took the throne name Sestesin and ruled the Axum Imperium for three hundred years before being murdered by his concubine Dia. Ebloduk, the son of Dia, usurped the kingship for only 2 days until Bagaze, Sestesin’s general, had him imprisoned. Bagaze was next made king and ruled for 38 years until he was killed by Barigez, head of the palace guard. The reoccurring unrest led to Zrathes, who had taken the name Sinsare, to proclaim himself the sole ruler of the Axum Empire.
Sinsare struggled to contain the uprisings within his kingdom. He had a league of rebel groups rounded up and imprisoned, agreeing to release some in exchange for concessions from their home planets. He became increasingly reliant on his Terran allies to put down rebellions, in exchange for allowing Terran to make strategic governmental decisions. As an unintended result, Kanopis emerged as a regional power due to its position as a stopover for travelers between Salles and Terran space. Sinsare ruled for 1511 years before dying of natural causes while vacationing in Soma.
“Under the guise of proposing a truce, Cleon invited Recha to a summit and imprisoned him with the aid of selestials from House Axum.”
Armeys took the throne at the age of 42 after the death of his father Sinsare. He survived an assassination attempt by Mydius, an advisor to his father who secretly wanted to bring down the Sinnic dynasty. Armeys, who had taken the name Anasinmasin, ruled for 90 years before supporters of Mydius freed him from imprisonment to orchestrate Armeys’ assassination. Mydius proclaimed himself ruler of Axum with support from the central government as they were afraid to oppose him.
Mydius took the throne name Masinsereskin, however, he was little more than a puppet ruler controlled by the powerful king Cleon of Terran for the next 443 years. Cleon had his rivals killed in order to solidify his position as the true ruler of Axum. Sovereign Recha of House Veti openly opposed him encouraging civil unrest and open revolts. Under the guise of proposing a truce, Cleon invited Recha to a summit and imprisoned him with the aid of selestials from House Axum. Days later, however, he was freed by members of House Veti and two noblewomen from Soma who held Cleon in contempt. Cleon began preparations for a wide assault against Recha and other detractors, but then Mydius suddenly died and the kingdom was left without a figurehead.
Cleon moved to appoint Mydius’ grandson Cultar as king, but Cultar turned against Cleon and had him killed. Forces in the imperiums began to openly revolt and Cultar was killed when trying to put down an uprising. Kulo of Soma claimed rights to the throne by way of his forced marriage to Pair, the daughter of Mydius. He refused to take a Sin name in an eagerness to distance himself from the unpopular reigns of his predecessors.
