History of Ancient Makva (Project Exodus)
The History of Ancient Makva lasts over a long period of more than 2,500 years, from the beginning of the Maxiz culture to the collapse of the Makvan Kingdom at the end of the Later Time, Makvan history is traditionally divided into five major periods, known as "times": the Emergence Time, the Golden Time, the Warring Time, the Middle Time, and the Later Time, although the Pre-Emergence Time is occasionally considered as a sixth time prior to the other five, although most historians dis-include it due to it being such a short period of time.
Pre-Emergence Time
The Pre-Emergence Time in Ancient Makvan history was characterized by the emergence of the Maxiz Culture on the Island of Oltuma. Despite the relentless chronological cataloging of the history of Makva by its scribes (the Maki), the actual history of this period is very vague and uncertain, mainly due to the fact that the position of Maki only originated during the Emergence Time, and there were very few alive at the time who bothered to catalog their own history, as they were more concerned with survival then silly things like writing the history of their people. Thus, almost all of the best primary sources are historians from the Emergence Time that vigorously studied the Pre-Emergence time to research the origins of the Makvan people.
According to most studies of various Emergence Time historians, as well as modern historians, the common consensus between them all is that the Maxiz Culture originated as an offshoot of two Tulzean "culture-clans", Maniya and Axiz. "Culture-clans" were defined as essentially cultures that were exclusive to one clan, and they were quite common across the entire island during the Pre-Emergence Time and the many periods before it during which the island had been inhabited. These two culture-clans had been, also like many others, hunter-gatherer peoples. When the two clans unified after a period of cooperation against the enemy culture-clan known as Baku (which may have not actually existed, as it directly translates to "evil"), they formed the Maxiz culture-clan, which then adopted the new tradition of permanent settlement. However, their peacefulness would not last for long at all, as when they settled, power began to naturally shift towards those who controlled the food supply.
Maku and Lexi - Founding of the Kingdom of Makva
The man who controlled the most of the food supply was named Maku, and when he was crowned by the people as King, the Makvan Kingdom was born, and Maku's ambitions were revealed. Maku would go on to form a mighty army of warriors and conquer hundreds of culture-clans, expanding his kingdom greatly. Most notably, Maku famously defeated Queen Tika, the leader of the Kingdom of Makva's ultimate rival at the time, the Kingdom of Tulsa, vilified as sinister cannibals and heathens throughout the story. The entire history of Maku's conquests is cataloged in the legendary hero story Maku, King of Kings, written by a mysterious author that is still unidentified to this day, going by the pseudonym Ka-Shi. However, it should be noted that the story is not at all an attempt to completely catalog the history of Maku's conquests, but rather an attempt to glorify Maku in a fashion almost similar to writing about a deity. Because of this, most of the actual hard data in the story is either unbelievably infeasible or absent entirely (mostly absent entirely, as the mysterious writer preferred to stylize dramatic descriptions instead of numbers and facts).
Although the story goes on to have Maku earn his place in the Exodent Plane by impressing the deities with his strength and prowess, before Maku died, he designated his daughter Lexi as his successor. This would set the precedent that the next ruler of Makva after every ruler's death would be their firstborn child, while the other children would simply remain as powerful associates of the new ruler. This precedent would change drastically across Makvan history, but there would never be an implementation of restrictions on the gender of the ruler, and so male and female rulers are about equal in number throughout all of Makvan history.
Lexi would continue Maku's expansionist policies and would earn a name of her own as a fierce warrior-queen who never backed down. By the end of her rule, almost the entire northern section of the island had been conquered. When she died and gave the crown to her son Maku II, the Emergence Time would begin.
Maku I
Maku's rule (at least in terms of facts) is mostly lost to time. Although Maku, King of Kings is a complete "history" of Maku's life, it generally delves far more into the realm of fantasy and myth than realistic details about the founder of Makva. The only truly notable details from what is considered the only contemporary source for Maku's reign are his conquests and his children. The info about his children is more reliable, since even the battles Maku fought often involve supernatural elements. Maku had seven children by the time he passed away; his eldest child and eldest daughter Lexi, along with six other surviving children, listed here in order of age at the time of Maku's death:
- Erdo: An adult male around the same age as Lexi
- Tulia: An adult female slightly younger than Erdo
- Vicrin: A teenage male
- Shei: A teenage female
- Elit: A female toddler
- Barn: A baby boy
Lexi I
Lexi's rule began during a time of great mourning. Due to the overwhelming sadness caused by her father's death, few questioned his decision to give his eldest child the throne. Though it would later generate resentment from her siblings, Lexi saw little to no opposition when she took over. Lexi, naturally having inherited the ferocity and warmongering nature of her father, would vow to continue his conquests, and proceed to do exactly that. Early on in her reign, Lexi earned a reputation as a ferocious warrior-queen when she led troops in defeating a Tulsan raid on the kingdom's farms. Making a shaky alliance with their strongest rival in the north, Tenvon, Lexi would lead conquests against the two kingdom's mutual enemies, meeting great success due to the backwards nature of their opponent's weaponry. Lexi was known for her short temper and brutal treatment of enemies she considered below her, but she also showed a softer side by taking the her youngest siblings, Elit and Barn, and having them raised almost like her own children. Lexi had her own children as well, numbering about three. Her eldest son, Maku, received a great deal of education as Lexi grew older - she was wise enough to know that Maku needed to be prepared to take the throne from her when the time came. Lexi's relationships with her four other siblings began to strain as her reign neared its end. All adults at this point, the siblings had been cast away into other government positions, and they were dissatisfied with their share of power. Fortunately for Lexi, her siblings could not generate enough support from those below them to cause any trouble, and she passed on in 2064 AA, leaving her younger daughters Sea and Ti with minor government positions and her son Maku with the throne.
Emergence Time
The Emergence Time would see the rise of the Kingdom of Makva begin to take shape. Most rulers would only increase Makva's strength by conquering more and more culture-clans, in multiple notable conflicts that involved multiple culture-clans fighting together in vain against Makva. Besides the consistent conquests of culture-clans, Makva would see its traditional Animism transform into a more refined polytheistic religion, with more prominent traditions and scriptures emerging as a result. Not much else would occur within the Emergence Time, though the conquests would be vigorously recorded by the Maki, who would also emerge during this Time. Maku's lineage would eventually fall out of favor with the people over time, and nobles would depose Maku IV and replace him with his cousin Shuzu.
Maku II
The rule of Maku II marked the beginning of a long-term dynasty for the first time in Makvan history. Maku II, inheriting a kingdom on the rise with numerous (albeit weaker) enemies, made sure that his legitimacy and royal nature was present in the minds of all of his subjects. He also made sure to have heirs, amassing two sons (Thederic and Arvin) and two daughters (Drexi and Fiin). Frequently going on journeys to the largest of the religious animal sanctuaries in the country and also visiting more minor religious sites such as carved trees that were supposedly blessed by spirits, Maku demonstrated piousness to his subjects, ensuring loyalty from many religious leaders in Makva. Maku had very little choice but to follow in his mother's footsteps, just as she had followed in her father's herself, and conquer more enemies among the culture-clans, especially in the north. Maku shied away from most fighting, however, not wanting to create a warmongering reputation for the dynasty. The king nonetheless proved his ability to lead armies by going to war with a coalition of northern cultures led by the Tenvon culture. In just 7 months, Tenvon and its allies were annexed into Makva, completing the unification of the northern portion of the island. Maku also had to deal with frequent raids from southern nomads who would steal livestock and slaughter any resistance. One of these encounters ended up being fatal for Maku when he was stabbed in the shoulder. The wound became infected, and he passed two days later, leaving the throne to his eldest son Thederic.
Thederic I
Thederic's rise to power was met with disaster almost immediately. Still on the younger side when taking the throne, Thederic immediately faced a rebellion from Erdo's son Erix, with the backing of his aging father. Erix, arrogant and certain of his future victory, held an extravagant and pompous crowning ceremony in a town he seized two days after declaring war on the king, but the ceremony, and Erix's arrogance, proved to be his downfall. Angry Tenvoni citizens, hearing the news that Erix had massacred a Tenvoni village just two days ago, raided the ceremony and killed Erix and many of his closest co-conspirators. The Tenvoni then crowned their own ruler (who's name has been lost to time) within that very blood-stained tower in the middle of the village, and led their own revolt against Thederic. Thederic scarcely had time to begin organizing his army when news came that supporters of the equally old Tulia had revolted and seized a royal deposit of precious metals. This deposit was a great deal of the throne's treasure, and Tulia attempted to blackmail Thederic into giving her the throne.
Thederic was put in an extremely difficult position as Vicrin and Shei backed Tulia and local revolts multiplied. Luckily, Thederic still held the support of his younger siblings, as well as Elit and Barn, the last few children of Maku, and Sea and Ti. Thederic raised all the manpower he could and took advantage of his relative's support to send them out to lead other armies he could not. Thederic would lead his army against the Tenvoni revolt and quickly crush them, restoring order to the western part of the country. The other peasant revolts would be crushed by the other armies, although Arvin would perish in a particularly violent clash against peasant rebels. Tulia's supporters would meanwhile march towards the capital upon news that Thederic had left, only to be met by Barn's army in Teknen Forest. Considered the most stunning military defeat of this time period in Makvan history due to Barn's much smaller army, he would go down in history as a master military commander, although he failed to ever rule the kingdom himself. Barn would proceed to the royal deposit and capture Tulia, making her a prisoner in Thederic's palace until her death - which came only two years after her imprisonment due to her old age. Vicrin and Shea were pardoned for their support of Tulia and returned to scheming. Erdo fled Makva, only to be slain by southern nomads on the way out.
With Thederic's reign now largely secured, he arranged a re-crowning to impress upon his citizens his absolute power over them. The crowning was pompous but meaningful, with Thederic promising beneficial reform to a nation just rocked by three separate revolts. Thederic's personality began to finally be displayed to the people much more openly, and he became known as a very religious man. Thederic was far more religiously inclined than any of his predecessors had been recorded to be, constantly making ceremonial visits to religious sites. However, great religious reform was one of the highlights of Thederic's reign. Thederic rejected the older orthodox religious leaders and their authority, instead supporting the popular Mukaist faith and making it the official religion of Makva. The more orthodox leaders were forced to either adapt to keep their positions or lose the support of the majority of the population, which was moving towards Mukaism. Thederic's endorsement of Mukaism is largely considered to be the climax of its rise within the nation, where it would continue to remain prevalent for the rest of its history.
Thederic's achievements have often been overshadowed by more famous contemporary figures like Barn, but he nonetheless accomplished much. He failed in one particular area, however - having children. Many historians have theorized that Thederic was infertile, as he did have multiple partners like his predecessors. Thederic passed away from a throat-related disease in 2045 AA with no children, instead leaving the throne to his niece Lexi, daughter of his sister Fiin.
Lexi II
The rule of Lexi II was characterized by the dominance of figures beyond the ruler herself. Lexi's mother Fiin essentially became an unofficial regent for the country, pulling the strings from behind Lexi. Lexi found herself quite powerless to stop her mother from controlling most of her affairs due to Fiin's close relationship with many court officials who performed many duties for Lexi - instead performing them directly for Fiin, supposedly under the wishes of Lexi. The period of Lexi's rule saw a rising conflict between Fiin's control over the country with her sister Drexi contesting control, attempting to install her own daughter Elia onto the throne. Drexi wisely chose not to directly pursue warfare at first, instead spreading rumors of Lexi being an adulteress who had slept with many commoners. Fiin largely ignored these completely baseless accusations against her daughter, but the people did not, and Lexi began to grow very unpopular with the Makvan population. Everywhere the Queen went, she would be met with groups of brave individuals who would ridicule her, well aware that they might be sentenced to death for such disrespect. Lexi was quite merciful, mostly due to her timid nature - but she also had no control over who would be executed, as Fiin continued to control the state apparatus. Fiin would pressure Lexi into finding partners, and Lexi would gift Fiin with two grandchildren, a boy named Thederic and a girl who was also conveniently named Fiin. Lexi's rather uneventful reign would eventually end when she passed away giving birth to a third child, a girl named Lexi. The stage was set for a large-scale political disaster, as Fiin's control of the state was now at risk.
Thederic II
Quickly endorsed by his powerful grandmother, Thederic II was quite unprepared for the throne, being only just ineligible for a regency when he became King. However, in a disastrous turn of events for Fiin, Thederic, recognizing the brutal controlling nature of his grandmother over his mother Lexi, chose to abandon Fiin's support and instead seek support from his great-aunt Drexi. Fiin, enraged, dropped any support for Thederic and endorsed her granddaughter, the other Fiin, as the "righful heir". The population, which had been oblivious to the political events during Lexi's reign, now began to see very clearly that Fiin had been controlling Lexi all along, and the majority of Makvans strongly opposed Fiin continuing her puppet-master behavior with another figurehead. The elder Fiin, seeing no other option, raised a revolt in the younger Fiin's name with the backing of many powerful noble families, including the aging Vicrin and Shei, who were still plotting to gain more power. Thederic, receiving support from Drexi and her allies in the nobility, was forced to engage in a civil war at the start of his reign, just like the Thederic who came before him. This Thederic, however, was no born military commander - the young king was terrified of blood and silently disavowed combat as unfit for a king in a private diary discovered many years later. Nonetheless, under Drexi's watchful eye, Thederic set off to do battle with his sister's army, which was slightly larger than his own.
During his campaign, Thederic would sire a single daughter, Avini, who he became very attached to. Thederic made very clear in his diary while he was on campaign that he much preferred the joys of fatherhood to the thrills of combat or king-hood. Meeting Fiin the Younger's army at Thrin, Thederic's forces would engage the larger rebel army, but would face a defeat later called predictable by many historians and scholars, mostly due to Fiin the Younger's extensive interest and studies in combat and commanding. Following this dramatic defeat, Thederic would flee the battlefield. Contemporary historians reviled Thederic as a coward and branded him a weakling, but modern historians have praised Thederic's wisdom in diverting Fiin's army after him to allow a detachment with Avini to escape, securing the succession. Regardless, Thederic was caught and executed on the orders of Fiin the Elder. Avini, now next in line for the throne, was still quite young. Another family member would have to serve as a regent before she came of age, and they would need to protect the kingdom from the pretender, a task which now seemed near-impossible after the defeat at Thrin.
Lexi III (Regency)
Lexi III would remain impartial in the grand world of politics for quite some time, due to her close relationship with both of her siblings - but after hearing the news of Thederic's execution at the orders of Fiin the Elder, her daughter Feine, a notable contemporary historian, wrote that "something inside of her had been burnt in such a way that it lit a fire of vengeance through her soul. Such a rage could never have been matched." Lexi soon gave an impassioned speech to the royal court in which she promised to avenge the honor of the Kingdom. The royal court, impressed, quickly appointed her regent, and made her commander of the sparse remnants of Thederic's army with the task of defeating a significantly larger force. Luckily, Thederic's death had made Fiin the Elder grow haughty and certain of success, to such an extent that she chose to hold a pompous ceremony to crown Fiin the Younger as Queen instead of pursuing the remnants of the opposing army. This allowed Lexi essential time to recover and retaliate, which she used to raise more soldiers from villages across the country and even to hire southern mercenaries to take out key opposing nobles, a tactic that would have been seen as outrageous had Lexi not done it in secret. With the help of the mercenaries, Lexi's army could now challenge Fiin the Younger's forces, which had grown bloated and lazy in nature from their massive victory. Utilizing the element of surprise, Lexi's forces dealt multiple decisive defeats to Fiin's army, with every retreat lowering their numbers. Eventually, Fiin the Younger surrendered at Thrin, where she had defeated her brother before. Lexi's army would then march against Fiin the Elder, who was now desperately trying to raise a force of her own to challenge Lexi. Fortunately for her, she would be given more time, as Lexi's attention would soon be diverted by a much more relevant threat.
Just as the conflict was winding down, Lexi would receive news that the Tulsan Kingdom, Makva's historical rival, had launched a full-scale invasion in the southern areas of the country, seizing many territories. Their leader, Reitini, styled herself "Queen of Tulsan Makva" and massacred entire villages of Makvans in revenge for past raids and massacres against Tulsans. Now controlling around a third of the country compared to Fiin the Elder's tenth of the country, Lexi made a temporary truce with Fiin in which she released her sister on the condition that neither would rebel again, a promise Fiin the Elder would quickly break the moment Lexi became occupied. Lexi's army then marched southwards, only to be met with initial moderate defeats at the hands of Queen Reitini, mostly due to the prevalent betrayals of native Tulsan mercenaries who saw no reason to support Lexi over their own native ruler. Lexi, however, would then back her army away and successfully work her way around the Tulsan army, cutting off their method of retreat. Forced further and further north by increasingly devastating defeats, Reitini would eventually be captured and executed along with the remains of her army in a show of strength by Lexi. This would not deter Fiin the Elder, however, who was willing to try one last time to seize back power. Having regained some support, Fiin the Younger would receive another elaborate crowning (once again at Thrin), and then proceeded to lead her army against her sister. Lexi's army, however, had far more experience, and easily bested Fiin's forces once again, capturing her. Lexi, in one of the most recounted moments from ancient Makvan history, chose to spare Fiin the Younger, allowing her and some of her conspirators back into the court with less titles. Fiin the Elder would receive no such mercy, however. Raising one last weak regiment, she would hole herself up in a seaside tower in a defiant last stand. Lexi would ruthlessly destroy her regiment and then ignite the tower, burning her grandmother and the last of her co-conspirators to a crisp.
Though her regency lasted for a solid eight years, Lexi never had any children before, during, or after this time. Many historians have pointed out her close connections to a noblewoman named Tii, providing strong evidence towards the case that Lexi was a lesbian. Lexi ruled for only a few more years after putting down the rebellion, and in another of ancient Makva's most recounted tidbits of history, peacefully gave up control of the country to her niece Avini rather than trying to hold onto power for herself. She would spend the rest of her life living with both Tii and her sister Fiin (whom she reconciled with), and providing valuable advice to new rulers as a member of the royal court.
Avini I
A very timid ruler, Avini's control over the country was never disputed but often not flaunted. Avini did very little herself when she was able to, spending most of her life secluded from the rest of the world in the royal palace. Historians have had many theories as to why Avini vigorously isolated herself from the world. Most historians nowadays propose Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a major factor, likely due to her presence at multiple violent battles at a very young age. Whatever the cause, Avini's rule remained undisputed, mostly due to Lexi's continued presence in the court intimidating any potential plotters into quashing any ambitions for rebellion. Avini had no children during her reign, and historians mostly agree that she was likely asexual. Instead, Avini opted to pronounce a boy named Thederic, a grandson of Drexi and a son of Elia, her heir. The decision sparked some controversy, but after assurances that Thederic was of noble blood, complaints died down. Avini would eventually pass away from a brutal fever, leaving Thederic to take her place.
Thederic III
Unlike his predecessor, Thederic had been given much more confidence in his youth, and allowed his ego to flourish during his reign. Holding a crowning considered by contemporary historians to be the most expensive royal event to date, Thederic would spend lavishly on building new royal monuments and expanding protections for religious sites. Thederic was known for his humongous ego by the majority of the population, but those who got on his bad side were exposed to a terribly short temper, often with extreme consequences for the instigators. According to royal records, Thederic executed almost as many people in peacetime as Lexi III had executed during her regency, which was almost exclusively spent at war. He also fathered seven children, the latter four of whom died in infancy. His eldest Maku was set to inherit the throne, and he promised his two younger daughters Gesa and Hili positions of power on lower levels.
Thederic also sought to replicate the successes of Lexi by continuing conquests. Although Thederic was anything but combat-ready, he held in his court some of the most successful commanders Makva had ever seen, including Lexi herself, as well as many of her proteges. These proteges would serve as Thederic's primary method of conquest, and he would naturally claim any of their victories as his own. Thederic first attempted to both court public favor and make a show of strength to the south by crushing the remnants of the Tulsan Kingdom. The Tulsan Kingdom had fractured into many smaller warlords after the death of their queen, but would eventually see itself almost fully reunited, only being split in two instead of seven. Thederic would declare war against both kingdoms and send Lexi's proteges to fight against the Tulsans. Unfortunately, Thederic had underestimated the loyalties of his armies, which were becoming increasingly more diverse every year. A great deal of ethnic Tulsans made up portions of various armies as well as the civilian populations of southern areas in Makva, and they strongly opposed an invasion of the Tulsan kingdoms. When Thederic refused to respond to a peasant petition to cease the invasion, multiple major army mutinies would occur, leading to the deaths of many commanders and a temporary absence of opposition to the advances of the Tulsans. Thederic was horrified to learn that he would need to take command of the royal garrison to reinforce the remnants of the Makvan armies. Meanwhile, all of the southern portions of Makva had been occupied by the Tulsan kingdoms. Thederic undoubtedly would have been defeated had the kingdoms continued to advance, but an unfortunate assassination of one of the monarchs prompted the eastern Tulsans to accuse the western Tulsans of a plot to destroy them, leading to war between the two kingdoms. With this ample distraction, Thederic decided to silently give up his control of the royal garrison to Lexi, who eagerly accepted. Despite being significantly older, Lexi would proceed to orchestrate an impressive attack on a retreating western Tulsan army, then turning to confront and defeat the eastern Tulsan army. Within two weeks, Lexi had conquered both kingdoms, a feat which she was given no credit for by Thederic, who proclaimed his own valiance in battle. Contemporary historians, however, had no kind thoughts towards their egotistical ruler, and kept their works private while acknowledging Lexi's complete responsibility for the victories.
Thederic's reign met one other major conflict later on in his rule. Despite efforts to prevent outside invasions through diplomacy, the Arijati Clan, one of the strong southern clans making up the "Five Great", attacked Makva with the goal of destroying the kingdom to solidify a new hegemony for themselves. Their queen Ari led a march through western Makva, destroying villages and towns along the way as a warning to those who wished to resist. Thederic was forced to act quickly, and decided to enlist the help of legendary commander Barn's equally skilled granddaughter, Bea. Thederic's army, under Bea's wise command, marched northwards, much to the confusion of the Arijati army, which decided to proceed towards the capital. Meanwhile, Bea led a loop around the Arijati's army, allowing a flanking offensive to be held before the Arijati could finish sieging the city. Although a risky maneuver, the Arijati would be decisively defeated, agreeing to cede valuable territories in exchange for a pact of non-aggression. Thederic, reveling in his glory, held multiple expensive events in the palace in celebration of "his victory" in the war. Within three days, Thederic had died, supposedly due to a poison. The poisoner was never caught, however, and Thederic's eldest son Maku would take the throne.
Maku III
The third king to receive the legendary name Maku, Thederic's son learned from the mistakes of his father, and made great efforts to not incur the wrath of his subjects. Holding a shorter-than-normal mourning period for Thederic and hosting a relatively cheap crowning (by royal standards), Maku failed to ever find his father's poisoner, but took extensive efforts to not suffer the same fate. Maku would become known among the royal court for his paranoia, constantly having a larger-than-normal number of guards with him wherever he went. Maku's reign would largely be uneventful, and was often cited as a time of peace by contemporary historians. The conservative and cautious monarch often left the affairs of the people to local governors, only intervening when absolutely necessary - mostly out of fear for his own life. Maku, determined to remain safe, never had any children, and when he passed away from old age in 1970 AA, the throne would go to his sister Hili's daughter Avini.
Avini II
Holding the throne with much more confidence in her safety than her predecessor, Avini was more than prepared to reassert the formidable power of the monarchy. Displaying her power through an expensive crowning and the public executions of imprisoned Sodo (mostly Tulzeans), Avini would reinforce a more involved role for the monarch through methods such as forcing locals near the palace to pay tax at the foot of the palace, even those of higher status. Flaunting her role as monarch of all Makva, Avini found herself courting the displeasure of her aunt Gesa, who had amassed a coalition of nobles demanding Avini back down from her assertive policies. Instead of mediating with her rival, Avini would instead have Gesa accused of conspiring with the Kingdom of Arijati, then having her publicly executed. The nobles, instead of retaliating, would back down to avoid Gesa's fate, only serving to reinforce Avini's policy of active involvement by the monarch. Avini had many partners during her lifetime, and when she passed away in 1953 AA, she left behind fraternal twins (Ghobos and Raulki) and two younger sons, Verx and Teno. The dispute between the twins over who would succeed their mother would eventually lead to another major conflict marring Makvan history.
Ghobos I
When Avini passed, a crisis descended upon Makva, as nobody knew which twin should ascend the throne. Some sided with Ghobos while others sided with Raulki. Verx would flirt between the two, showing mixed loyalty, while Teno stayed firm in supporting Raulki. A civil conflict was indeed inevitable, and Ghobos would initiate the conflict by crowning himself king, with Raulki following soon after. With a civil war thus initiated, Raulki would move to strike first, seizing control of most of Eastern Makva, leaving Ghobos with Central and Western Makva. With most prior military commanders of great renown such as Barn and Lexi having already passed away, Ghobos and Raulki were left to rely mostly on their relatives to lead armies for them, or else they would have to lead armies themselves - and with Ghobos being morbidly obese and Raulki reportedly having muscular issues in his arms, neither were prepared to do so. However, Bea, a famous general and granddaughter of Barn, was still around, and so both twins tried to court the neutral commander to join their side. Bea, seeing no option to remain neutral, would side with Ghobos due to lecherous accusations against Raulki by his opponents. Raulki would appoint Teno to lead his army for him, and the two armies would clash multiple times in Central Makva, with Bea being ultimately victorious. Raulki, forced to surrender, would be executed by his opponent and twin brother Ghobos, something that was seen as outrageous at the time due to the extremely close familial ties they both shared. Bea in particular would denounce Ghobos upon hearing the news, and would be forced to flee north off the island after being branded a traitor, where she would serve as a general for other, foreign nations for the rest of her life.
Ghobos would lose a great deal of popularity upon executing Raulki, but he continued to hold onto power. Ghobos would cause a great deal of strife for later monarchs in the Makan dynasty by siring an unbelievable ten children with various women, seven being girls and three being boys. Ghobos utilized the royal treasury in a manner that many contemporary Maki deemed extremely irresponsible, building lavish palaces and shrines in honor of his wives and children, but mostly for his own image. Ghobos eventually was overcome by his morbid obesity, and suffered a sudden death believed to be caused by a heart attack. He would leave behind a controversial but memorable legacy.
Lexi IV
Ghobos' eldest daughter, upon taking the throne, sought to convince her siblings not to rise up against her. As a consequence of her justifiable paranoia about a potential rebellion, Lexi made massive concessions to her nine siblings, essentially giving them sizable autonomous domains within Makva. This would turn out to be a massive mistake on Lexi's part, as her siblings all turned on her within a couple of years. Lexi would be forced to agree to being a vassal of a council of her nine siblings, who essentially controlled the entire kingdom. The vast majority of Makvans remained unaware of this change at the time, and the rest of Lexi's "reign" was quite uneventful. She would eventually pass in 1931 from what many now believe was a cancerous growth in her head, described at the time as "a vicious draconian parasite that infected her mind".
Ghobos II
Upon Lexi's death, the Council of Nine grew more tense when it came to choosing a successor. All siblings recognized that turning on each other would have the kingdom descend into a chaos from which it might have not recovered, but all wanted to put themselves on the throne as a regent for Lexi's only child, the toddler Tulia. Eventually, the decision was made that each member of the Council of Nine would serve one term as either regent or ruler, in order to solidify the Council's control over the Makvan monarchy while keeping its unity intact. Not all parties were happy with this agreement, least of all the younger children of Ghobos I who would be last in line to gain power, but the majority ruled in favor, and so the second-eldest child of Ghobos, also named Ghobos, was crowned as regent.
The second Ghobos to rule the kingdom would have a wide variety of issues. Most prominent were his bouts of insanity that led to scandals left and right, however rare they may have been. Contemporary historians frequently described how Ghobos continuously slew servants in fits of meaningless rage, sometimes in public. Ghobos was never charged for these arguable crimes, but the public gradually began to be aware of his mental instability after the incidents had occurred a number of times. Ghobos also had other issues, including a spending streak which put a sizable dent in the royal coffers. He is famous for constructing bizarre and often unexplained monuments depicting unknown figures in combat, but he also hired some of the greatest artists of his time to join his court and construct marvelous ancient buildings, something contemporary historians were forced to give him admiration for. Ghobos' reign would come to an end when one of his bouts of insanity led to a confrontation with a royal guard who slew him in self-defense when he attacked. The guard was sentenced to death but silently freed of any punishment by the Council of Nine.
Thederic IV
With the Council of Nine now reduced to eight, the third-eldest, Thederic, would now ascend as a regent, with Tulia still too young to serve as a monarch. Thederic would manipulate the rules of the regency behind Tulia's back to allow him to serve for an essentially unlimited amount of time, which he used to serve until his death. This alienated him from the remaining members of the Council, but Thederic was still forced to abide by some of their restraints, rather than risk a civil war that he certainly would not win. Thederic used the time during his reign to attempt to make up for the mistakes of Ghobos II. He carefully conserved money and raised taxation slightly to keep the royal treasury intact. However, he gained a great deal of infamy for his hatred of Ghobos' passion for art. He tore down all of Ghobos' personally ordered creations, and also gained the hatred of most Maki by charging most artists who served under Ghobos with alleged treason and exiling them from Makva, having a few executed when they defiantly returned. Ironically, Thederic did more to spread Makvan art styles than Ghobos had by kicking out some of Makva's most skilled artists, who would go on to teach their style in other nations. Thederic would eventually pass away from "a violent coughing ailment", and with Tulia more than ready to take the throne, the remaining members in the Council of Nine were forced to allow her to rule.
Tulia I
Tulia immediately alarmed the Council of Nine by vowing to "serve no corrupt power" during her coronation. She made clear her firm stance against the Council of Nine, setting the stage for a conflict between the council and the monarch. Tulia, aware that the Council held most of the loyalties within the royal court, would instead seek the aid of the people in reaffirming her reign by exposing the control exerted by the council over previous monarchs. Tulia risked her life in doing this, and the Council could not allow her to continue to rile the people against them. Tulia would proceed to dramatically survive an attack from a mysterious assassin who historians have no doubt was sent by the council to silence her. Tulia would insist that someone within the royal court was conspiring against her, and although she did not name the Council of Nine at the start, she ordered an investigation by her few loyal associates within the royal court. Tulia would display herself as a woman of faith in opposition to unfaithful elements within her court, a notion that much of the common folk found appealing. After constant attempts to thwart their efforts, Tulia would finally near success by arresting 6 of the remaining members of the Council of Nine. The seventh member, the second child of Ghobos to be named after his father, would successfully host a coup against Tulia, forcing her to flee into exile and seizing the throne for himself. He would face great unrest from a populace with a deep caring for their previous ruler.
Golden Time
With Maku IV deposed, Shuzu and the Shuzan Dynasty would take control of Makva. A series of vigorous campaigns would be conducted during the early to middle Golden Time to conquer the entire island of Oltuma. With southern cultures being gradually absorbed, writing and the arts would be promoted, flooding Makva with cultural advancements and the recognition of talented artists. Additionally, prejudice against southern citizens, now collectively known as Tulzeans, would help develop brutal racism within Makva against the "uncivilized tribes" that they would soon conquer. Later on in the Shuzan Dynasty, the kingdom began to feudalize, as rulers lost more and more power to other wealthy high-class people like nobles and priests. Religious land and noble territory would soon overtake most of the country. This feudalization would foreshadow an ominous disaster that would soon come to pass, particularly with the introduction of splitting land between all heirs.
List of Rulers of Makva
Makan Dynasty - Pre-Emergence and Emergence Times (2096 - 1823)
| Picture | Name | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
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|
Maku I the Hero | c. 2096 - c. 2089 AA | Founded Kingdom of Makva Conquered most of Central Northern Makva First ruler |
|
Lexi I the Fierce | c. 2089 - 2064 AA | First female ruler |
| Maku II the Good | 2064 - 2056 AA | ||
| Thederic I the Blessed | 2056 - 2045 AA | Oversaw the majority of the population transitioning from old Makvan Animism to Mukaism | |
| Lexi II the Lovely | 2045 - 2030 AA | Largely a puppet for her mother Fiin, who controlled state affairs | |
| Thederic II the Coward | 2030 - 2028 AA | Died in a battle with rebels after attempting to flee | |
|
Lexi III the Deathbringer | 2028 - 2020 AA | Regent for Thederic's daughter Avini
Destroyed the Tulsan Kingdom Romanticized in multiple stories about ancient Makvan heroes |
| Avini I the Shy | 2020 - 2006 AA | Avoided public life, mostly remaining secluded in her home | |
| Thederic III the Redeemer | 2006 - 1995 AA | Put down Tulsan rebellions
Crushed the remnants of the Tulsans | |
| Maku III the Survivor | 1995 - 1970 AA | Ruled (and lived) for an extremely long time compared to most other rulers | |
| Avini II the Truthful | 1970 - 1953 AA | ||
| Ghobos I the Fat | 1953 - 1942 AA | ||
| Lexi IV the Beautiful | 1942 - 1931 AA | Beginning of dominance of the Council of Nine | |
| Ghobos II the Mad | 1931 - 1925 AA | Part of the Council of Nine's rule
Would experience very rare bouts of insanity during his rule | |
| Thederic IV the Stoic | 1925 - 1900 AA | Part of the Council of Nine's rule | |
| Tulia I the Faithful | 1900 - 1886 AA | ||
| Ghobos III the Glorious | 1886 - 1875 AA | Conquered the Vijobati | |
| Tulia II the Friendly | 1875 - 1862 AA | ||
| Avini III the Determined | 1862 - 1851 AA | Conquered the Oogati | |
| Tulia III the Ill | 1851 - 1849 AA | Died young of an unknown disease, possibly flu, only two years into her reign. | |
| Avini IV the Humble | 1849 - 1831 AA | ||
| Maku IV the Failure | 1831 - 1823 AA | End of the Makan Dynasty
Deposed by his cousin Shuzu due to his incompetence |
Shuzan Dynasty - Golden Time (1823 - 1504)
| Picture | Name | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shuzu I the Great | 1823 - 1812 AA | Conquered various tribes | |
| Fiin I the Wise | 1812 - 1804 AA | ||
| Ghobos IV the Strong | 1804 - 1800 AA | ||
| Shuzu II the Foolish | 1800 - 1790 AA | ||
| Cheri I | 1790 - 1785 AA | ||
| Thederic IV | 1785 - 1779 AA | ||
| Drexi I | 1779 - 1768 AA | ||
