Eric III of Diadochia
Eric III (9 June 1637 – 12 October 1701), known as Eric the Great (Greek: Έρικ τις Μέγας; French: Éric le Grand) or the Sun Emperor (Greek: Ήλιος Αυτοκράτορας/Helios Autokrator; French: Le Soleil empereur), was a monarch of the House of Komnenos-Palaiologos who ruled as Emperor of all Diadochia from 1647 until his death. He reigned for 54 years.
Eric began his personal rule in 1659, when he turned twenty-two years old, right after the regent Victor Angelos died.
Contents
Early years
Eric III was born on 9 June 1637 in the Hebdomon Palace to Constantine VI of Diadochia and his wife the Empress Anna. He was known as Eric the God-given (Ο Θεός δίνεται) from birth. Eric also bore the traditional titles of Diadochian heirs apparent, including: Byzantinóu, Despotēs of the Pelopónnisos, Prince of Bithynia, Prince of Thalássa, Duke of Epirus, Duke of Thessaly, Earl of Attica among others.
At the time of his birth, his parents had been married for over a decade years. His mother had experienced four stillbirths between 1626 and 1630. Leading all of Erics contemporaries to regard him as a divine gift of God to the throne of Diadochia, and his birth as nothing short of miracle of God.
In the spring of 1647, Constantine VI who was clearly dying made a will stating, that instead of his wife being regent, the boy-emperor would have a whole regency council with his wife has head.
Eric's relationship with his mother was one of extreme affection. Contemporaries and eyewitnesses claimed that the Empress would spend almost every daylight hour with Eric. Both were greatly interested in food and theatre, and it has been speculated that Eric developed these interests through his close relationship with his mother.
Regency and the Crusaders Rebellion
On 18 May 1647, with Constantine VI dead, Empress Anna had her husband's will annulled by the Parliament of Diadochia. This action abolished the regency council and made Anna sole Regent of Diadochia. She then entrusted power in her favorite and eventual lover, Victor Angelos.
While his mother, Empress Anna, was regent, the great nobles and many dissatisfied members of Parliament launched a major but uncoordinated revolt, which arose in response to the centralizing policies of the boy-Emperor's father and his the policies of the new chief minister Victor Angelos. This revolt was called Crusaders Rebellion and was also known as the Eleventh Diadochian Crusade because the rebellion was sparked by Empress Anna and Angelos refusal declare the eleventh Diadochian Crusade on 1652, marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Tenth Diadochian Crusade. The rebellion was to last for five years. Eric stated in his memoirs: "My childhood came to an end with the outbreak of the Crusaders Rebellion. It was not only my life that became insecure and unpleasant –but the very throne of Diadochia became shaky and not safe for myself."
Eric goes on to say: "The very Palaces of Atlantis, my predecessors loved so much became like a prison to me and it was only when Atlantis was threatened that I had the excuse to abandon it for Hebdomon and Blachernae".
The Imperial family was driven out of Atlantis twice and at one point Eric III and Anna were held under virtual arrest in the Atlantis Imperial Palace. was victorious in 1657 and constructed an extraordinary administration for the empire. Angelos finally suppressed the revolt and restored internal order but was dead a year later, leaving Eric with the task of ruling the torn empire. Many lessons were taught to Eric and his brother Michael during the years of the Crusaders Rebellion, had various effects on the young emperor; including his disdain for Atlantis and his constant determination to build lavishly elsewhere to accommodate the Court.
In the year 1652 the fiftieth anniversary of the Tenth Diadochian Crusade occurred. Empress Anna and Angelos both decided that an eleventh crusade was foolish, useless and of no real importance to the nation as a whole, so they did not call for it.
This angered the Grandmaster of the Order of the Panagia who declared it anyway rising in rebellion to force the government to accept the crusade. At this time men known as "the Crusaders, political heirs of a dissatisfied feudal aristocracy, sought to protect their traditional feudal privileges from an increasingly centralized imperial government, figuring that the best way to stop the states centralization was to force a unwanted crusade upon it. Furthermore, they believed their traditional influence and authority was being usurped by the recently ennobled bureaucrats (the "nobility of the robes") who administered the empire and on whom the monarchy increasingly began to rely. This belief with the fact that the regents had refused to honour a centuries old tradition, only intensified their resentment and anger.
In 1652 Angelos attempted to tax the members of Parliament of Diadochia. The members not only refused to comply, but also ordered all of his earlier financial edicts burned. Encouraged by the victories of the Emperor's Cousin the premier Prince of the blood, Eric Komnenos-Palaiologos, Prince of Arcadia (later known as le grand Arcadie) in his wars, Angelos arrested certain members in a show of force. Atlantis erupted in rioting as a result. A mob of angry Atlanteans even broke into the imperial palace and demanded to see their Emperor. Led into the imperial bedchamber, they gazed upon Eric, who was feigning sleep, were appeased, and quietly departed. The numerous threats to the imperial family prompted Anna to flee Atlantis with the emperor and his courtiers. Shortly thereafter, the conclusion of the Wars of (imput name) allowed Arcadia's army to return to aid Eric and his court.
Just as this first Crusaders rebellion (1652–1653) ended, a second one (1654-1657) began. Throughout both times the Grandmaster of the Order of the Panagia was clamoring for a eleventh crusade. This rebellion was an upper-class insurrection. To the aristocratic Diadochian nobility, the rebellion represented a protest against and a reversal of their political demotion from vassals to courtiers. It was headed by the highest-ranking Diadochian nobles, among them, members of the Imperial family, Eric's uncle George, Duke of Pontus, his cousin Maria Louisa of Pontus, and Princes of the Blood such as the Prince of Arcadia, his brother Achilléas, Prince of Megalopolis and their sister Maria Gabriella, Duchess of Troad ; legitimized Dukes, the Duke of Troad, and the Duke of Kýpria, both descendant from illegitimate lines of the Imperial House; and scions of Diadochia's oldest families.
The Crusaders claimed to act on Eric's behalf and in his real interest against his mother and Angelos. However, Eric's coming-of-age and subsequent coronation deprived them of their pretext for revolt. Thus, the Crusaders gradually lost steam and ended in 1657, when Angelos returned to Atlantis triumphantly after having fled into exile on several occasions.
Personal reign and reforms
On the death of Angelos in June 1659, Louis assumed personal control of the reins of government. Duriing his reign taxes on custom duties, salt, and land were implemented, filling the imperial treasury to the brim. Eric also had wide-ranging plans to bolster Diadochian commerce and trade. Under Eric's mercantilism policies new industries were encouraged and ancient industries were strengthened and redefined. The Emperor encouraged manufacturers and inventors, such as Atlantis Imperial Glass and Crystal Factory, Imperial Chalkida Porcelain Factory, Imperial Proúsa Manufactory a carpet manufacturer, and Imperial Galata Manufactory a Tapestry manufacturer. Emperor Eric invited manufacturers and artisans from all over Europe to strengthen the economy of Diadochia, such as Italian glassmakers, Swedish ironworkers, and Dutch shipbuilders. In this way, the emperor aimed to decrease foreign imports while increasing Diadochian exports, hence reducing the net outflow of precious materials from Diadochia.
Eric instituted a series of reforms directed at the nobility to curb their unyielding independent spirit, imposing order on them at court and in the army. The old dynatoi (the strong) aristocracy ceased to have a complete monopoly over senior government and military positions and rank. Eric also modernized the army and re-organizing it into a professional, disciplined and well-trained force. He was devoted to the soldiers' well-being and morale, and directed almost every military campaign during his long reign.
Patronage of the arts and building projects
Eric generously supported the Imperial Court of Diadochia and those who worked under him. He brought the Imperial Élli̱nes Akadi̱mía and the Atlantean Academy under his patronage and became its "Protector". He allowed Classical Diadochian literature to flourish by protecting and patronizing various writers. Eric also patronized the visual arts by funding and commissioning various artists, and musicians at his court.
Eric III was the founder of many of the Imperial Academies of Diadochia, including the Imperial Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities in 1661, the Imperial Academy of Music, in 1667, the Imperial Academy of Architecture in 1669, the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts in 1677, the Imperial Diadochian Naval Academy in 1690, among others. He also founded the Imperial Observatory and supported the Imperial Society, he also was a patron of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, an organization founded by his father in 1638.
Eric sponsored many public works in Atlantis, including the Konstantina Palace, establishment of a police force, street lighting. The Emperor also founded the Imperial Hospital of the Veterans, to serve as a military complex and home to officers and soldiers rendered infirm either by battle wounds or old age.
Over the course of four major building campaigns, Eric converted a hunting lodge built by Constantine VI into the spectacular Bellehof Palace, he also greatly expanded the Blachernae Palace. The Palaces were built on a grand scale, both becoming known as the "Diadochian Versailles". Belleof and Blachernae both became dazzling, awe-inspiring settings for state affairs and the reception of foreign dignitaries.
Eric also renovated and improved St Constantine's Palace, Cassandreia Palace, Atlantis Imperial Palace and other royal residences, he also built the Konstantina Palace to serve as his official residence when in the capital.
Ballet
Erics loved ballet and frequently danced in court ballets during the early half of his reign. In general, Eric was a very eager dancer by the time of his death he had performed 90 roles in 50 major ballets in Diadochia. His choices were strategic and varied, he often danced leading roles which were suitably royal or godlike (such as Jupiter, Neptune, Apollo, or the Sun). At other times, he would adopt lesser roles before appearing at the end in the lead role. Through his work, Eric with his patronage and support of the ballet laid the groundwork for his great-great grandson Manuel VIII who founded the Imperial Diadochian Ballet but continued to sponsor and support the Atlantis Opera Ballet, founded by his great-great grandfather Eric III.
Height of power
By the early 1670s Eric had greatly strengthened Diadochian influence in the world. Domestically, he successfully increased the influence of the crown and its authority over the church and aristocracy, thus consolidating absolute monarchy in Diadochia, However at his death in 1701 his grandson and great grandson both allowed the Parliament many powers, it was only during the reign of his great-great grandchildren that the Emperor's power was once more absolute.
By attaching nobles to his royal courts outside of Atlantis, Eric achieved increased control over the Diadochian nobility. Apartments were built at Bellehof and Blachernae to house those willing to pay court to the Emperor. However, the pensions and privileges necessary to live in a style appropriate to their rank were only possible by waiting constantly on Eric. For this purpose, an extremely elaborate and unyielding court ritual was created where the Emperor became the centre of attention and was observed throughout the day by the public, this more or less continues to the present day. With his excellent memory, Eric could then see who attended him at court and who was absent, facilitating the subsequent distribution of favours and positions. Another tool Eric used to control the nobility was censorship, which often involved the opening of letters to discern their author's opinion of the government and king. The Emperor also used lavish, entertainments, to impress them with his greatness as well as to distract them with extravagant luxury and other court diversions. By these steps, Eric III not only cultivated public opinion of him, but also ensured the continued loyalty of the aristocracy. This, along with the prohibition of private armies greatly increased imperial authority. In the place of the old nobility, Eric raised commoners or the more recently ennobled bureaucratic aristocracy (the "nobility of the robe") and many foreigners to many high offices. He judged that royal authority thrived more surely by filling high executive and administrative positions with these men because they could be more easily dismissed than nobles of ancient lineage with entrenched influence.
Personal life and legacy
Eric and his wife had seven children. Eric was never faithful to his wife having had numerous affairs. The long list of mistresses of the Emperor include, Euphrosyne Angelos, Maria Angelos, Helena Angelos, Louise Marie Dalassenos (ancestress of the Duke of Elis, Francesca-Athenais Crispos (ancestress of the present Duke of Cyzicus), Maria Eleonora Bryennios (ancestress of the Duke of Nicomedia), Maria Angelica Frankópoulos (ancestress of the the Duke of Ephesos), Maria Isabella, Maria Eudokia, Sophia Juliana Manouelites, Duchess of Boetia, Anna Bourtzes, Duchess of Argos. Through is many illegitimate children the bloodline of Eric III is prominent among many members of the Diadochian nobility, besides the Imperial Family.
As a result of his many "conquests", in his lifetime he was often nicknamed "grande d'étalon" or "Great Stallion", the name of one of his horses which was notable at the time as a great stallion.
The present Dukes of Elis, Cyzicus, Nicomedia and Ephesos all descend from Eric III in unbroken male line. Eric III was known for being a patron of the arts just as much for his many mistresses and children.
Many writers have wrote about the numerous mistresses of the Emperor, a popular lewd rhyme by an unknown writer is:
A merry monarch, scandalous his is roar.
The Duke of Hormisdou wrote:
and Eric certainly was father to a good many of them
Death
Children
Eric III married Sophia Theresa of Euphrania on 12 May 1653, and had the following children:
