Banner of the Adrestian Empire
The Adrestian Empire (アドラステア帝国, Adorasutea-teikoku) is one of three nations on the continent of Fódlan.
Profile[]
The Adrestian Empire encompasses the southern part of Fódlan, a relatively lush and bountiful region with ample access to the sea. It is ruled by a dynasty that can be traced back over 1,000 years to its legendary founder, Great Emperor Wilhelm Paul Hresvelg, who is said to have been crowned by Saint Seiros herself. Its capital city is Enbarr, the largest city in Fódlan, which was chosen for its association with Seiros. Adrestian Empire Founding Day is celebrated annually on the 1st of the Great Tree Moon.
In recent decades, the Empire's longstanding relationship with the Church of Seiros has cooled due to a political rift, with some believing that the Church's strength comes at the Empire's expense. As a result, the Church's influence and following within the Empire have diminished substantially. Halfway in the game, Edelgard succeeds the crown and declares war on the Church and the other two nations.
Garreg Mach Monastery in central Fódlan organizes its Officer's Academy students into three houses, with each house representing a different nation. Students from the Adrestian Empire are members of the Black Eagles.
Politics[]
The Adrestian Empire is a hereditary monarchy with a rigid hierarchy. All important government ministries and leadership positions are passed down through the same noble families, generation after generation, although that has not stopped political maneuvering among the nobles.
House Hresvelg, the royal family, wielded supreme authority over the Empire until the Insurrection of the Seven in Imperial Year 1171, in which much of its power was stripped away by the nobility. The head of House Aegir occupies the post of prime minister, with the title being hereditary. House Vestra is responsible for managing the darker tasks of the Empire, as well as the emperor's periphery affairs, including coordinating affairs such as ceremonies and rituals, Imperial consorts, and the Imperial Guard. House Hevring has rule over the Empire's domestic affairs, particularly those relating to administration, finance, and the judiciary. House Bergliez rules over the Empire's Ministry of Military Affairs and commands all of the armies that do not directly belong to the emperor. House Varley is responsible for the Empire's Ministry of Religion, whose main responsibility is to maintain amiable relations with the Church of Seiros. House Gerth directs the Empire's diplomacy, foreign relations, and relations between various provinces and the capital. It worked hard to secure the ceasefires that ended the Dagda and Brigid War in 1175.
Military[]
Despite its strength having diminished over the centuries since its founding, the Empire remains one of the most powerful forces on the continent. The Imperial army is known to rely on its magic-users. During times of war, the head of House Bergliez becomes the Imperial army's commander-in-chief.
History[]
The Adrestian Empire was founded in Imperial Year 1 by Great Emperor Wilhelm I, with its name gifted by an oracle. Between Imperial Year 32 and 98, Wilhelm and his successor, Lycaon I, fought to unify Fódlan under their rule with the aid of Saint Seiros and her Church in what became known as the War of Heroes. The nobles who opposed this were united under Nemesis, the King of Liberation. In 91, Seiros personally killed Nemesis at the Battle of Tailtean, and the war concluded in 98 with the demise of Lycaon I. At this time, the Empire ruled the whole of Fódlan.
Following the First Mach War of 721, in which Dagda invaded the land of Mach and was repelled by Imperial forces, the Empire conquered the Dagdan ally of Brigid in 728, which has remained a vassal ever since. The Empire attempted a large-scale invasion of Dagda in 731, but were ultimately defeated.
In 747, Loog of House Blaiddyd rallied the nobles of the Faerghus region in rebellion against the Empire. The War of the Eagle and Lion ended in 751, when Loog defeated the Emperor at the Tailtean Plains. The Church of Seiros mediated peace between the two sides, resulting in the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus securing its independence and Loog being crowned its first king.
In 801, the Leicester region also rebelled against the Empire, which found itself unable to reassert control. The Kingdom saw an opportunity to increase its political power and invaded, occupying and annexing Leicester. In 861, the three sons of the late King Klaus I divided the Kingdom between themselves, and in 881, upon the death of their ruling archduke, the nobles of Leicester once again fought for independence. The Crescent Moon War ended in 901 with the founding of the Leicester Alliance.
In 961, the Empire assisted the Alliance in turning back an invasion from Almyra. This prompted the three countries of Fódlan to begin cooperating to defend against foreign invasions. This led to the construction of Fódlan's Locket, a fortress in the mountains of Fódlan's Throat designed to counter Almyran incursions, in 1101.
Around 1065, the Southern Church, based in Enbarr, led a massive insurrection throughout the Empire which was eventually quelled. The Emperor exiled the regional bishop who instigated the uprising and dissolved the dissident Church. Afterwards, a Ministry of Religion under House Varley was created to maintain relations with the Church of Seiros.
Emperor Ionius IX was crowned sometime before 1162, when his daughter and heir apparent Edelgard was born. In 1171, the Duke of Aegir seized power in an uprising called the Insurrection of the Seven, reducing Ionius IX to a figurehead. A young Princess Edelgard was taken to Faerghus by her uncle, Lord Volkhard Arundel, who was also one of the conspirators; both returned to the Empire in 1174.
In 1175, the nations of Dagda and Brigid invaded the Empire in the territories of Nuvelle and Ochs. The Empire eventually repelled the invasion and triumphed, forcing the defeated Brigid into vassalage. As a token of Brigid's new allegiance, Petra, the granddaughter of the king of Brigid, was sent to live in the Empire.
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In 1180, Princess Edelgard is sent to the Officers Academy to complete her education. Later that year, after completing her studies, she convinced her aging and infirm father to abdicate, and assumed the role of Emperor. Duke Aegir was deposed and his lands confiscated by the Empire. Following this, Edelgard and Hubert conduct a purge of the corrupt nobility and those who opposed the newly-crowned Empress. Some, such as Count Varley, are merely stripped of their titles and placed under house arrest, while others, such as Marquis Vestra, are killed outright.
Possible Futures[]
The Adrestian Empire's history after 1180 differs depending on which student house that Byleth chose to teach at the Officers Academy.
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If the Black Eagles were chosen and Byleth sided with Edelgard upon learning of her desire to overthrow the Church, she declared war on the Church of Seiros after her coronation. By 1181, Garreg Mach Monastery was conquered and annexed by the Empire, but the Empire remained locked in a stalemate with Faerghus and the Church, while Leicester remained nominally neutral for five years. In 1185, following the return of Byleth, Edelgard establishes the Black Eagle Strike Force, an elite unit based out of Garreg Mach and comprised of former Black Eagles members, and led the Empire in battle against Leicester, defeating and annexing it. After repelling a counterattack from the Church, Edelgard and Byleth launched their invasion of Faerghus and slew its king Dimitri at the Tailtean Plains. Rhea retreated to the Kingdom capital of Fhirdiad and made a last stand against Imperial forces, but Edelgard emerged victorious. With all of Fódlan under Adrestia's dominion, Edelgard reforms the Empire so that anyone with the talent and drive to succeed could ascend to power and launched a shadow war against "those who slither in the dark".
In all the other routes, by 1185 the Empire had conquered western Faerghus and driven Dimitri into exile, while Leicester remained nominally neutral. Byleth's reawakening decisively tipped the war against the Empire. After retaking Garreg Mach Monastery to use as a base of operations, Byleth and their allies launched a campaign against the Empire by taking the Great Bridge of Myrddin on the Imperial-Alliance border to use as a foothold. After a brutal three-way battle between Adrestia, Faerghus, and Leicester known as the Battle at Gronder, Fort Merceus was conquered as the precursor to an invasion of Enbarr itself. Edelgard was defeated and slain in the battle, and the Adrestian Empire ended, with its territories annexed by either Faerghus or newly-founded United Kingdom of Fódlan.
Locations[]
- Hresvelg
- Enbarr (National Capital)
- Duchy of Aegir
- Boramas
- Airmid River
- Lordship of Arundel
- County of Bergliez
- Brionac Plateau
- Fódlan's Fangs
- County of Hevring
- Mozghuz
- County of Varley
- Viscounty of Hrym
- Morgaine Ravine
- Viscounty of Nuvelle
- Viscounty of Fenja
- Barony of Ochs
- Remire Village
- Rusalka
Family Tree[]
Notable People from Adrestia[]
Royalty[]
- Wilhelm Paul Hresvelg - Founder and first Emperor of the Adrestian Empire.
- Lycaon I - Second Emperor of the Adrestian Empire.
- Lycaon III - A past ruler of the Empire.
- Ionius von Hresvelg IX - Ruler of the Adrestian Empire as of 1180.
- Anselma von Arundel - Ionius IX's former consort.
- Edelgard von Hresvelg - Princess and heir apparent of the Adrestian Empire whose steadfast ambition is veiled by her elegant, self-confident demeanor. House leader of the Black Eagles. Becomes emperor during the events of Fire Emblem: Three Houses.
Nobility[]
- Marquis Vestra - Head of House Vestra and Minister of the Imperial House.
- Hubert von Vestra - The callous son and heir of House Vestra who has sworn complete fealty to Edelgard.
- Derick von Aegir - Head of House Aegir and Prime Minister of the Empire a century after its founding. He was known as the Warrior Prime Minister for leading soldiers in battle.
- Ludwig von Aegir - The current head of House Aegir and Prime Minister of the Empire.
- Ferdinand von Aegir - The accomplished and somewhat critic son and heir of the current Duke Aegir who works hard to live nobly.
- Leopold von Bergliez - Count of Bergliez and Minister of Military Affairs.
- Randolph von Bergliez - The step-brother of the current Count Bergliez. He serves as commander in the Imperial Army.
- Fleche von Bergliez - The step-sister of the current Count Bergliez. She assists her brother, Randolph, in his duties.
- Caspar von Bergliez - The hotheaded second son of the current Count Bergliez.
- Grégoire von Varley - Count of Varley and Minister of Religious Affairs.
- Bernadetta von Varley - The anxious daughter and heir of the current Count Varley, who staunchly avoids social interaction.
- Volkhard von Arundel - The current head of House Arundel and current Regent of the Empire.
- Waldemar von Hevring - Count of Hevring and Minister of Domestic Affairs.
- Linhardt von Hevring - The lazy son and heir to House Hevring who has a deep friendship with the second son of House Bergliez.
- Baron Ochs - The current head of House Ochs, he inherited his position after the House lost its original head during the Dagda and Brigid War.
- Monica von Ochs - Daughter and heir of the last Baron Ochs. She joined the Officers Academy of Garreg Mach in Imperial Year 1179, but went missing shortly before her graduation.
- Mercedes von Martritz (Formerly) - The birth daughter of Baron Martritz, she came into House Bartels after the fall of her family when her mother remarried with Baron Bartels.
- Emile von Bartels (Formerly) - Younger half brother of Mercedes. Disappeared after the fall of House Bartels.
- Hanneman von Essar (Formerly) - A crestologist, former member of House Essar. He abandoned his noble peerage to pursue is research in Garreg Mach.
- Constance von Nuvelle - A young lady of the fallen Imperial house of Nuvelle who has an overbearing attitude until she's somewhere with sunlight.
- Jeritza von Hrym - The current Viscount Hrym, he was adopted into the House and currently works as weapon instructor in the Officers Academy under Lord Arundel's recommendation.
- Duke Gerth - The current head of House Gerth and Minister of the Foreign Affair.
- Victoria von Hrym - Member of House Hrym who staged conflict that ultimately led to the dissolution of the Southern Church.
- Viscount Fenja- The current Viscount of Fenja, distantly related to Viscount Menja
- Viscount Menja- The current Viscount of Menja, distantly related to Viscount Fenja
Military[]
- Metodey - A commander in the Imperial Army (Three Houses only).
- Ladislava - The commander of the Imperial Guard.
Commoners[]
- Dorothea Arnault - Former Diva of the Mittelfrank Opera Company known as the "Mystical Songstress", she left the company and joined the Officers Academy of Garreg Mach.
- Petra Macneary - The granddaughter of the king of Brigid who, despite her imperfect speech, gives her all in everything she does.
- Manuela Casagranda (Formerly) - Former Diva of the Mittelfrank Opera Company known as the "Divine Songstress", she left the company and became a teacher at the Officers Academy of Garreg Mach.
Etymology[]
The Adrestian Empire is likely named after one of two characters from Ancient Greek mythology: the nymph Adrasteia, or the goddess Adrastia. According to Minoan mythology Adrasteia was charged by Rhea with nurturing the infant Zeus in secret. Adrasteia was also an epithet for Nemesis, goddess of divine retribution, as well as Rhea.
Several locations in the Adrestian Empire were named after Norse, Celtic and Slavic mythologies.
Aegir was the Norse god of the sea, Hevring was one of Aegir's daughters, Hraesvelgr was a Norse giant in the form of an eagle, Brionac was Lugh's spear in Irish mythology and Rusalka was a Slavic water spirit. Brionac, however, is not an actual name for any of Lugh's weapons - it was fabricated by a Japanese author in 1990 and it is now heavily associated with Lugh's unnamed spear, particularly in Japan. Brigid, ally of the Empire, shares its name with a goddess from Irish mythology mentioned in Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Taking of Ireland). Likewise her father Dagda is also seen as a country bordering Adrestria.
Trivia[]
- The usage of a two-headed eagle on the Adrestian Empire's banner might be from the imperial banner of the Holy Roman Empire.
- The Order of the Black Eagle was the highest rank for a knight in the Prussian Empire.
- The other resemblance between the Empire of Adrestia and the Holy Roman Empire is the fact that its nobility uses the Germanic particle "von" to separate the first name from the last name, typical of German nobility.
Gallery[]
