Katariah

Katariah Septim (Born ?? - 3E 199) was the thirteenth ruler of the Empire of Tamriel.

Katariah, a Dunmer, was originally married to her predecessor, the highly eccentric Pelagius Septim III. Pelagius was effectively removed from the throne in 3E 153 due to his ailing mental health. Katariah assumed regency in that year, and her husband died soon thereafter. She then assumed full rule over the Imperial Empire, the first to have no relation whatsoever to Tiber Septim to do this. Many assert that the true Septim line ended with Katariah due to her race; however, her defenders are quick to point out that she had a son by Pelagius, thereby continuing the true Septim bloodline. She is the third woman to hold power over all of Tamriel in the Third Empire, first as Regent and later as Empress. Despite racist claims to the contrary, her forty six year reign was arguably the most glorious in Tamriel's history.

Katariah was uncomfortable in Imperial City, and during her reign traveled extensively throughout the Empire. Such a cosmopolitan attitude had not been seen since Tiber Septim's day. She repaired the damage her eccentric husband had caused on the diplomatic front, and she strengthened foreign ties and alliances. She was a very popular monarch; the people came to love her far more than the nobility did.

Katariah died in a minor skirmish in Black Marsh in 3E 199. This event is a favorite source for conspiracy-minded historians. The sage Montalius' discovery of a disenfranchised branch of the Septim family's involvement with the skirmish proved a revelation. She was succeeded by her son Cassynder.