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Age of Three Emperors Sigmar's Heirs Sepia Illustration

A painting depicting the three most infamous claimants to the Imperial throne during the eponymous Age of Three Emperors; Empress Ottilia I of Talabecland, the first of the Ottilian Emperors, the Wolf Emperor of Middenheim, and the first of the Elected Emperors of Nuln.

The Age of Three Emperors (1547-2304 IC), also called the Time of Three Emperors, a term which sometimes also includes within it the periods known as the Age of Wars and the Time of Two Emperors that immediately preceded it, and the Dark Ages that overlapped with it, was a centuries-long period of civil war which engulfed and divided the Empire of Man.

According to Imperial scholars, period officially began in 1547 IC with the emergence of the first of the so-called "Wolf Emperors" of Middenland and ended with the election and crowning of Emperor Magnus the Pious in 2304 IC following the reunification of the Empire under Magnus' leadership during the Great War Against Chaos.

History[]

Time of Two Emperors[]

The assassination of Mandred Skavenslayer in 1152 IC led to a serious political crisis: the Elector Counts simply couldn't agree upon a successor and failed to choose a new emperor. The absence of a central and unifying authority inevitably led to political turmoil across the Empire as the Electoral Provinces became full sovereign states in all but name. The rivalry between the powerful Elector Counts slowly increased as the more ambitious among them tried to gather support among their fellows, each believing that they should become the next emperor. During this period, several feuds, including one involving the Graf of Middenheim, turned violent. However, they seemed to be minor events not on the scale of a civil war.[3][4]

The Elector Count of Stirland, a pawn of the Cult of Sigmar, managed to get himself elected emperor in 1359 IC. His fiercest rival, Countess Ottilia of Talabecland, then consulted with the Ar-Ulric, claiming to have evidence that the Cult of Sigmar had been founded by a madman, that Sigmar was not a god but only a mortal king blessed by Ulric, and that all Sigmarites were heretics.[3][4][6][7][8]

Tired of the dominant political influence wielded by the Cult of Sigmar in the Empire, the Ar-Ulric readily agreed with Ottilia and moved the centre of the Cult of Ulric to Talabheim. With the support of both the Ar-Ulric and the Cult of Taal, Ottilia accused the Count of Stirland of bribing several of the other Elector Counts to gain their votes and denounced the whole Imperial election as a sham. She then proclaimed herself Empress Ottilia I in 1360 IC. Her first move was to outlaw the worship of Sigmar in Talabecland. Civil war was now inevitable.[3][4][6][7][8]

The Elected Emperor from Stirland, determined to crush this challenge to his authority, invaded Talabecland at the head of a powerful Imperial army. In the ensuing Battle of the Talabec he suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of a severely outnumbered army led by the Ottilia I. This major defeat cost him most of his political support.[1]

For the next two hundred years the Empire was effectively divided among two feuding rulers during a period known as the Time of Two Emperors:

  • The "Elected Emperors," who always undertook the pretense of an Imperial election by the other Elector Counts, but were really just chosen by the Grand Theogonist of the Cult of Sigmar. Most of the Elected Emperors resided in Nuln, but at least one (Frederick III) held court in Altdorf.[6][8]
  • The "Ottilian Emperors," who were the hereditary successors of Empress Ottilia I. They resided in Talabheim.[6]

Two Emperors Become Three[]

The situation worsened in 1547 IC. Elector Count Siegfried of Middenland was led to believe that he could be elected emperor when the Ar-Ulric agreed to support him after a falling-out with the Ottilian Emperor. However, at the electoral council, not everyone agreed, and they made themselves quite clear when they aimed a crossbow at Siegfried's chest as he attempted to cast his vote for himself. Enraged, he proclaimed himself emperor upon his return to Middenheim; the ensuing line of claimants became known as the "Wolf Emperors." Siegfried immediately declared war on Frederik V, the Ottilian Emperor at the time. Meanwhile, Frederick declared war on the Elected Emperor.[6][7]

The civil war had religious aspects; the Ottilian Emperors were supported by the Cult of Taal and openly hostile to the Cult of Sigmar. The antagonized Sigmarites supported the Elected Emperors (the Grand Theogonist was sometimes known to crown himself emperor). The Wolf Emperors were usually staunch followers of Ulric and through a political agreement gained the full support of the Cult of Ulric.[8]

During the Age of Three Emperors, a massive decentralisation of power occurred across the Empire. The Elector Counts and self-proclaimed emperors were not just fighting each other for the upper hand, but also had to spend much of their time quelling rebellions in their own lands and fending off invasions from monstrous armies such as Orcs, Beastmen, and Undead.[3][4][7]

Desperate war-refugees fled to the safety of the fortified cities which increased in size, population and importance. Increasing populations meant numerous recruits and larger taxes, and the burgomeisters of the more important Imperial cities were able to slowly but steadily increase their political autonomy. Some cities even began to recruit and equip their own troops.[3][4][7]

Even lesser provinces were able to assert their power. In 1550 IC, western Middenland, under the control of the von Bildhofen family, broke off from the control of Middenheim. They were given the Drakwald Runefang by the Elected Emperor in return for their support. However, it's unknown how the Runefang disappeared from the vaults of Middenheim and ended up in the hands of the Elected Emperor in Nuln.[7]

There were also outside invasions that contributed to the gradual decline of Sigmar's empire in this period. One of them happened in 1705 IC, when Gorbad Ironclaw, an Orc warlord, united several tribes to create a massive Greenskin army. He led them across Black Fire Pass, and ravaged Averland and The Moot. He was later met in battle by Eldred, the Elector Count of Solland. Though the battle initially went well for the Sollanders, Eldred and his troops knew the day was lost when they saw on the horizon a contingent of Goblin Wolf Riders and Orc Boar Boyz.[2][3][4]

While most of his army was fleeing, Eldred and his closest companions advanced in a final attempt to slay Gorbad. The bravery of the Imperial soldiers that day was unmatched, but none were so brave as Eldred himself, who faced the Orc warlord in single combat. Eldred was no match for Gorbad, however, and he was brutally killed. After this victory, Gorbad marched north. He was finally defeated at the gates of Altdorf where a massive battle took place. While Gorbad was defeated, Sigismund IV, the Elected Emperor at the time, was killed by a wyvern.[2][3][4]

Even after his defeat, Gorbad's invasion had a major effect on the Empire. The province of Solland was gone, and its lands were absorbed into Wissenland. The Runefang of Solland was taken as a trophy by the Greenskins, and not retrieved for centuries.[3][4]

Around 1750 IC, there were briefly four emperors. When Horst the Cautious, the Ottilian Emperor at the time, refused to attack an invading army, the city of Talabheim revolted and crowned Helmut II as their own emperor. However, this state of affairs probably did not last for long.[7]

Dark Ages[]

The collapse of central authority in the Empire was complete in 1979 IC when the Grand Theogonist refused to acknowledge the election of the infant Elector Countess Magritta of Marienburg. This act ended the line of the Elected Emperors. The refusal was ignored by Countess Magritta and she moved to Nuln to found a dynasty of claimants there. The counts of Reikland also advanced their own claim for the throne. This period of complete anarchy, which lasted until 2304 IC, is remembered as the "Dark Ages."[3][4][7]

During the Wars of the Vampire Counts, which began in 2010 and ended in 2145 IC, the claimants were:

  • Ottilia III, Elector Countess of Talabecland, later succeeded by Ottilia IV.
  • Ludwig, Elector Count of Reikland, later succeeded by his son Lutwik.
  • Helmut, Elector Count of Marienburg, later succeeded by his son Helmar.[5]

The Wolf Emperors and Nuln Elected Emperors seem to have relinquished their claim to the throne under unknown circumstances. In the aftermath of the Vampire Wars, more claimants appeared as evidenced by the Year of Seven Emperors.[10]

At the onset of the Great War Against Chaos in 2301 IC, seven Imperial claimants had divided the lands of the Empire among themselves.[9a]

Restoration of Unified Rule[]

The Age of Three Emperors ended in 2304 IC when Magnus the Pious reunited the Empire under his rule after defeating the invasion of the Forces of Chaos launched by the twelfth Everchosen of Chaos Asavar Kul in the Great War Against Chaos. The Empire has been a united realm under one emperor ever since.[3][4][6][7][8]

Canon Conflict[]

In Sigmar's Heirs - a Guide to the Empire, Siegfried (the first Wolf Emperor) is called Heinrich.[7b]

Eldred's final battle is given multiple locations; some sources state that was near Averheim on the River Aver, while others put it just outside of Pfeildorf.

Sources[]

  • 1: The Empire at War (Background Book)
    • 1a: pp. 8-25
  • 2: Runefang (Novel)
    • 2a: pp. 9-12
  • 3: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition)
    • 3a: pp. 10-12
  • 4: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (8th Edition)
    • 4a: pp. 8-11
    • 4b: pg. 16
  • 5: Warhammer Armies: Undead (4th Edition)
    • 5a: pp. 26-29
  • 6: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 1st Edition: The Enemy Within (RPG)
    • 6a: pp. 10-11
  • 7: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Sigmar's Heirs (RPG)
    • 7a: pp. 16-17
    • 7b: pg. 21
  • 8: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Tome of Salvation (RPG)
    • 8a: pp. 19-20
  • 9: Drachenfels (Novel) by Jack Yeovil
    • 9a: Act 1, Ch. 3
  • 10: WFRP: Folk and Folklore of the Reikland Part 7 (Archived)
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