Titus Mede II is the current Emperor of Tamriel, his reign beginning in 4E 168.[2]
By game[]
History[]
Titus Mede II was crowned Emperor in the year 168 of the Fourth Era, inheriting a weakened Empire from his predecessor in the Mede Dynasty, which consisted of Hammerfell, High Rock, Skyrim, and Cyrodiil. Only the latter three remained peaceful and prosperous, as Hammerfell was in civil war during this time.[2] The Imperial military was also greatly weakened from many wars that the Empire had been involved in,[3] and what remained of the Legion forces was scattered across the provinces.[2]
Great War[]
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Emperor Titus Mede II, during the Great War.
After three years of being Emperor, members of the Thalmor, the governmental body of the Third Aldmeri Dominion, visited the Imperial City. On the 30th of Frostfall, 4E 171, an ambassador arrived at the Imperial City with an ultimatum for the new Emperor and a gift in a covered cart. This ultimatum demanded tributes, the disbandment of the Blades, outlawing of Talos worship, and the ceding a large portion of southern Hammerfell to the Dominion. Despite the weakness of the Imperial military, as warned by his generals, Titus Mede refused the ultimatum. As a result, the ambassador showed the Emperor the gift, the heads of all the Blades agents from within the Aldmeri Dominion, marking the start of the Great War.[2]
The Sack of the Imperial City[]
The Dominion had been sending in numerous forces into Imperial lands leading up to 4E 173, making advances on the eastern bank near the Imperial City, despite Imperial reinforcements from Skyrim bolstering the Emperor's main army. By the end of 4E 173, the Imperial capital was surrounded, with only the supply route to Bruma in the north remaining open.[2]
The next year, in 4E 174, the Dominion committed all available forces to the Cyrodiil front. During the spring of that year, Aldmeri reinforcements were gathering in southern Cyrodiil, and launched an assault on the Imperial City itself on the 12th of Second Seed. One of the Aldmeri armies drove north to fully surround the Imperial City, while the main army of Lord Naarifin attacked the City from the south, east, and west. Titus Mede decided to fight out of the capital instead of remaining within it during the siege, once more ignoring the advice of his generals.[2]
The Eighth Legion covered the Emperor's retreat in a desperate rearguard action on the walls of the capital. The Emperor's main army forced their way through the Aldmeri army in the north, meeting the Legions of General Jonna who came marching from Skyrim. In the meantime, the Imperial Capital fell, resulting in the Imperial City being sacked by the Dominion. The Imperial Palace was burned, White-Gold Tower was looted, and many atrocities were carried out against the civilians living in the city.[2]
The Battle of the Red Ring[]
In the winter of 4E 174 to 4E 175, the Thalmor were convinced that the fighting in Cyrodiil was all but over. They made several attempts to negotiate with the Emperor, and Titus Mede encouraged the Thalmor in their belief that he was planning to surrender. In reality, he gathered his forces to retake the Imperial Capital.[2] Imperial desertion did occur, as numbers of Legionnaires believed the Empire was doomed. The Forgotten Hero, alongside their companions, informed the Emperor of Lord Naarifin's plan to unleash The Culling prophecy. However, the Emperor knew an attack on the Imperial City was doomed to fail, as the Dominion was able to somehow predict the Empire's every move. The Hero volunteered to infiltrate the city, and discover the source of this power.[4] It would later turn out that the Dominion held the Orb of Vaermina, and used this as a means to spy on the Legion. When it was destroyed, the Legions started their advance on the Capital.[5]
Titus Mede, after the assassination attempt.
- "No. The troops... must believe the emperor is strong. Stranger. You have proven a mighty warrior. Here, take my armor. In my helm, none will know who you are. Lead the battle in my stead. The fate of the Empire is in your hands."
- ―Titus Mede II to the Forgotten Hero[src]
While the Emperor himself was wounded by Aldmeri Assassins just before the battle of the Red Ring would take place, and thus could not lead the charge himself,[6] the battle was still planned by the Emperor. The Forgotten Hero would wear the Emperor's armor, and take his stead to boost morale among the Legions and convince them that the Emperor was strong.[7] The Imperial City would be surrounded on all sides by the Imperial forces. The main army was commanded by the Forgotten Hero, and would advance from the north. Two other armies, commanded by General Jonna and General Decianus, surrounded the southern, western, and eastern sides of the city.[2] Lord Naarifin, despite his attempts to unleash hordes of Daedra, was defeated by the Forgotten Hero.[8] The Emperor captured Lord Naarifin, and kept him alive for thirty-three days, hanging from the White-Gold Tower.[2]
The White-Gold Concordat[]
While the Battle of the Red Ring resulted in an Imperial victory, the Legions were too weakened to continue their advance. The entire Imperial military didn't have more than half its soldiers fit for duty, not counting the annihilations of three Legions in their entirety. Titus Mede knew there would be no better time for peace, and thus signed the White-Gold Concordat, marking the end of the Great War. The terms of the Concordat were largely unchanged to the original ultimatum, but Titus Mede believed the peace was necessary to give the Empire a chance to regain its strength. By 4E 175, most of the Empire welcomed peace at almost any price. Hammerfell refused to sign the Concordat, however, and as such, Titus Mede was forced to renounce Hammerfell as an Imperial province, leaving Hammerfell to fight the Dominion until 4E 180, until the signing of the Second Treaty of Stros M'kai.[2] In response for the signing of the White-Gold Concordat, the Jarls of Skyrim were given chests of gold by the Empire.[9]
Post-Great War[]
Originally, the Imperial Legion did not enforce the outlawing of Talos worship, as dictated by the Concordat. However, when Ulfric Stormcloak made the Legion openly accept free Talos worship, the Emperor was forced to crack down on Talos worship, and allow the Thalmor Justiciars into Imperial land.[10][11][12]
As a result of the enforcement of the Talos ban, the Stormcloaks would be founded. Local support in Skyrim for the Emperor varied. There were those who considered the Emperor to have renounced both humanity and honor when the Concordat was signed.[13] Others considered that the Emperor didn't have any choice in signing the Concordat, as without it the Dominion would have destroyed the Empire.[14] In response to the rebellion in Skyrim, the Emperor sent General Tullius to quell the rebellion.[15]
Despite the signing of the White-Gold Concordat, the Empire was rebuilding its forces for the next conflict with the Aldmeri Dominion and stationing the bulk of them on the Cyrodiilic-Aldmeri border.[15] The Emperor refused to send Tullius any reinforcements in fear of weakening the border with the Dominion.[15]
Possible Assassination[]
Assuming certain conditions were met, Titus Mede II may have fallen victim to a plot on his life. Amaund Motierre, a Breton noble from Cyrodiil, contacted the Dark Brotherhood in Skyrim in 4E 201.[16] He ordered a string of assassinations, beginning with the slaying of the Emperor's cousin, Vittoria Vici to draw the Emperor to Skyrim, followed up by the assassination of the Gourmet, who would cook for the Emperor.[17]
A decoy of the Emperor was first sent out to Solitude, in an attempt to kill the assassin ordered to murder the Emperor.[18] While they were in Solitude, attempting to murder the decoy, the Penitus Oculatus raided the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary in Falkreath Hold,[19][20] having learned its passphrase shortly before the assassination would take place.[21]
The assassin would survive, however, and through Amaund Motierre, discover that the real Emperor was on the ship The Katariah. The Emperor would be assassinated by the Dark Brotherhood on board his ship.[1] Motierre would claim that the death of Titus Mede would bring about a necessary change in Imperial policy,[22] and that his death served both the Empire and all of Tamriel.[23] It is unknown if Amaund Motierre was later also killed by the assassin, as the Emperor had requested as his last wish from the assassin.
Appearances[]
| Emperor of Tamriel | ||
|---|---|---|
| Attrebus Mede | 4E 168 - 4E 201[1] | Unknown |
| ← | → | |
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Events of "Hail Sithis!"
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 The Great War
- ↑ Dialogue with Legate Rikke
- ↑ Events of "Chapter 14 - A Fractured Legion"
- ↑ Events of "Interlude"
- ↑ Events of "Chapter 18 - A Knife in the Dark"
- ↑ Events of "Chapter 19 - The Siege of the Imperial City"
- ↑ Events of "Chapter 20 - The Showdown"
- ↑ Conversations between Irileth, Proventus Avenicci and Balgruuf the Greater
- ↑ Dialogue with Alvor
- ↑ Dialogue with Igmund
- ↑ Dialogue with Thalmor Justiciars in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- ↑ Dialogue with Stormcloak Commanders
- ↑ Dialogue with Hadvar
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Dialogue with General Tullius
- ↑ Events of "The Silence Has Been Broken"
- ↑ Events of "Recipe for Disaster"
- ↑ Events of "Recipe for Disaster"
- ↑ Dialogue with Commander Maro during "Recipe for Disaster"
- ↑ Events of "Death Incarnate"
- ↑ Dialogue with Commander Maro during "Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!"
- ↑ Dialogue with Amaund Motierre during "The Silence Has Been Broken"
- ↑ Dialogue with Amaund Motierre during "Hail Sithis!"