Interregnum

For other interregna, see Interregnum (disambiguation).

The Interregnum (2E 430 – 2E 854; also distinguished as the Great Interregnum) was a period in the Second Era of Tamriel's history, between the fall of the Second Empire and the proclamation of the Third Empire by Tiber Septim. It began when the last of the Akaviri potentates, Savirien-Chorak, was murdered in 2E 430. The resulting collapse of central authority led to five centuries of bickering between ethnic alliances, small kingdoms, and petty states. During this time, Tamriel's provinces reasserted their independence, while the remnants of the Second Empire nominally survived as the Empire of Cyrodiil, a rump state confined to the central province and ruled by a succession of warlords.

The Interregnum was marked by a general decline in living standards across Tamriel. A note in one tale from the era goes so far as to call the prevailing attitude one of "anti-intellectualism", another source talks of the "dark and cumulative losses" of the period, and a third describes the period as "days and nights of blood and venom". A further sign of intellectual decline was the transformation of the Dwemer in popular memory from a mysterious and unfathomable race to a mere vehicle for light comedies and romances. Additionally, roads and cities fell into ruin and were not repaired until centuries later. Even the famed Amulet of Kings was lost. Some regions and organizations found the period full of opportunities, however. The services of the Dark Brotherhood and the Thieves Guild were much in demand and the society filled their coffers with gold.

The geopolitical effects of the Interregnum were both far-reaching and varied. For example, High Rock, an area with an extensive history of factionalism, was more able to deal with the collapse of central power and fared much better than the rest of Tamriel, lapsing back into its usual structure of kingdoms and city states without difficulty. In contrast, Skyrim was divided as never before when it split into two kingdoms following the assassination of High King Logrolf in 2E 431.

See also

• Stormcrown Interregnum