Post by The Eshva on Jan 14, 2021 5:36:27 GMT
Then-Crown Prince Ashot Vahram (left) and Crown Princess Kilis Atir (right), c.1915
Name:
Ashot Vahram ve Sherkoz
Age: 73
Gender: Male
DoB: 19 October, 1889
DoD: 3 November, 1962
Titles:
His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince (1889 - 1932)
His Lordship, the Emperor (1932 - 1962)
Tankai Eshva (1932 - 1962)
Education:
Secondary Education through the Tsavakt School System
Masters in Strategic Studies from the University of Ikan
Positions held:
Crown Prince of Ikhan (1889 - 1932)
Student (1894 - 1913)
Second Lieutenant (1914 - 1915)
First Lieutenant (1915 - 1919)
Captain (1919 - 1924)
Major (1924 - 1928)
Lieutenant-Colonel (1928 - 1932)
Emperor of Ikhan (1932 - 1962)
Notable for:
Being the Emperor of Ikhan from 1932 to 1962
Leading Ikhan through the closing years of the Great War era
Serving in the Army during the First Great War and the Continuation War
Taking part in the liberation of Western Ikhan
Family:
Father — Arkan IV Vahram ve Sherkoz (1853 - 1932)
Mother — Isana Etsin ve Arkhos (1860 - 1946)
Wife — Kilis Atir ve Hazhai (1892 - 1973)
Son — Erel VI Vahram ve Sherkoz (1916 - 1976)
Daughter-in-law — Esha Ikat ve Riak (1915 - 1978)
Grandson — Arkan V Vahram ve Sherkoz (1941 - 1997)
Granddaughter — Kiri Vahram ve Sherkoz (1946 - Present)
Son — Ikos Vahram ve Sherkoz (1916 - 2018)
Daughter-in-law — Esha Hatan (1917 - Present)
Grandson — Berai Vahram ve Sherkoz (1945 - Present)
Brother — Ikos Vahram ve Sherkoz (1891 - 1973)
Sister-in-law — Eska Nakir (1892 - 1973)
Nephew — Varen Vahram ve Sherkoz (1917 - 2010)
Niece — Sera Vahram ve Sherkoz (1919 - 2006)
Sister — Kiri Vahram ve Sherkoz (1892 - 1986)
Brother-in-law — Khorai Vakan (1891 - 1972)
Nephew — Erel Vakan (1920 - 2003)
Grandfather (Pat.) — Erel V Vahram ve Sherkoz (1827 - 1871)
Grandmother (Pat.) — Eira Kharatai ve Sherkoz (1828 - 1893)
Grandfather (Mat.) — Esik Etsin ve Arkhos (1824 - 1878)
Grandmother (Mat.) — Vira Nikal ve Tanas (1829 - 1901)
Uncle — Berai Etsin ve Arkhos (1855 - 1938)
Aunt — Kira Tsaran (1856 - 1933)
Cousin — Arkan Etsin ve Arkhos (1881 - 1959)
Cousin — Aika Etsin ve Arkhos (1885 - 1972)
Aunt — Kiri Etsin ve Arkhos (1863 - 1944)
Uncle — Jishek Kava ve Siakana (1862 - 1951)
Cousin — Erel Kava ve Siakana (1891 - 1969)
Cousin — Kisa Kava ve Siakana (1891 - 1970)
Cousin —Arkan Kava ve Siakana (1894 - 1982)
Biography:
Early Life
Ashot was born in the Ikas palace, located within the similarly named Ikas ward of Ikan, to Emperor Kosan (Arkan IV) and Eira Kharatai, wife of the Emperor, in 1889. As the firstborn of the Emperor, he was the Crown Prince from birth, destined to one day lead the nation. The era in which he spent his childhood was one of great change for Ikhan, but also one of great tension and turmoil. To the west, the Ardian Empire loomed, holding lands once part of the Empire since the days of the Vakhet Eshva himself and even threatening the heartland. To the east, the nation of Andreð, long disunited and kept as tributaries of foreign powers, had unified and though weakened, possessed great mineral wealth that Ikhan certainly needed. And within, the flames of civil war had only just been extinguished and the nation had begun to heal, though cried out for reform.
It was in this climate that Ashot would have his ideals shaped, recognizing the need for stability and order before everything else. And when he was old enough, he hoped, he would be able to see his plans through.
Education
Ashot was, starting at the age of five, enrolled in the newly-established Tsavakt school system. At the time, it was little more than a private school for the sons of the nobility and gentry, established but nineteen years ago in the wake of the first Ardo-Arashin war. And yet, despite it being fairly new, it would provide nothing but the finest education for it's pupils, after all, its teachers understood that they were to be the next generation of leaders in a world that was ever-increasingly falling into turmoil. And it was here that Ashot began to excel. By the age of eighteen, when he had graduated from it, he was already more studied than most of his peers, but though he had the opportunity to pursue an academic career, he would instead pursue the art of war and politics, graduating in 1913 with a masters degree in Strategic Studies.
Military Career
In 1914, with the outbreak of war between the Ardian Empire and various other powers, Ashot would be commissioned into the Imperial Army at the rank of Second Lieutenant. While his position as the Crown Prince afforded him the opportunity to be given a higher position in the military, he personally rejected the offer as he personally viewed nepotism as having played a significant role in the Empire's defeat 46 years earlier. As such, "Second Lieutenant Ashot Vahram" would be assigned to the 3rd Ikhani Guards Regiment, 5th Battalion and would be shipped off to the fighting in the Upper Feltasi range. Despite his own frequent protests, Ashot would not be permitted to take part in most of the fighting out of fear that he might be captured or killed in action. During this period, he would come to befriend his superior officer, Captain Varen Ikir.
In 1915, while on leave from the front, Ashot would marry Kilis Atir, daughter of Lord Erel Atir ve Hazhai. The next year, their first child, the future Heitos Eshva (Erel VI), would be born alongside his twin brother, Ikos.
Ashot, now a First Lieutenant, would take part in the liberation of Western Ikhan in 1918, during which time he would finally see action in the house-to-house fighting of the Battle of Vatik. With the war's end later that year, he would, though allowed to largely return to civilian life in the decade that followed, remain in military service, eventually attain the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. This final promotion would come on the back of his service in the Second Ardo-Arashin war, though it was little more than a skirmish between the two nations that saw a few raiding parties land in the south of the nation. He would remain in service for the next four years, only retiring when arguably the most important moment of his life occurred.
Emperor of the Arashin
In 1932, at the age of 79, the Kosan Eshva, Arkan IV Vahram ve Sherkoz, passed away. Though they had disagreed on some matters, the two had retained a close relationship until his dying day, but with reluctance, Ashot understood what had to be done.
Ashot Vahram, Emperor Tankai
On 19 December, a mere month after the death of his father, Ashot was enthroned as the Tankai Eshva, fully aware of the great trial that was to come. But of course, as the Emperor in an era when he was significantly limited by the constitution, he was all but powerless to prepare the nation for what was coming. Luckily enough for him, however, this was all that he needed to have in order to prepare the nation. Starting in 1933, he would begin to tour the nation, giving speeches urging the government to ready itself for war with the Ardian Empire once more, much to the chagrin of many who sought peace with the nation. After all, Ikhan had regained it's lost lands fourteen years prior, so what reason was there to believe that war was coming once more? Of course, there were those who saw the threat, including then-Chancellor Esik Viras and General Varen Ikir. Though these two in particular held a strong dislike for each other, they both understood the circumstances Ikhan was in at that point. Their differences were primarily on how to achieve victory in the coming war.
It is here that Ashot's legacy becomes more complicated. If it weren't for the series of events that followed Esik Viras'es death, he would likely be seen as one of the greatest Emperors Ikhan ever had, but sometimes, even those in power will be deceived by those they call their closest confidants. Even the Emperor was blinded by his own dedication to finding a way to prepare his homeland that he couldn't see what was coming next.
An Empire Deceived
With the death of Esik Viras in 1937, Ikhan found itself directionless as the de-facto head of the state was now non-existent. In the next months, many would vie for power, but Varen Ikir would, using his relationship with the Emperor, turn him to his side, leading to him formally appointing him as the new chancellor. And surprisingly, for the first two years that he held the position, Varen proved to be an effective statesman, even if his policies were far more authoritarian and downright nationalistic than anything Ikhan had seen to that point.
But even as he masqueraded as a leader who sought only the best for his people, Varen began to clamp down on the state, gradually taking more and more power for himself. And in 1939, it finally happened. War broke out between Ikhan and the Ardian Empire once more, this as a result of an incident between the Heyran and Ikhani navies.
An Empire at War
At first, it was hoped that the war would be contained to the high seas, even if everyone in the military and government knew that would not remain the case for long. Soon enough, in early 1941, the first Ardian forces began to land in Ikhan, taking the cities of Ishkot and Emerei by July. Using this to his advantage, Chancellor Varen Ikir finally betrayed the oath he took when he was appointed and orchestrated a coup, seizing the National Assembly and turning the Emperor into little more than a puppet: a symbol of the state to maintain legitimacy and nothing more. Of course, this had likely done nothing for the relationship between the Chancellor and the Emperor but to further the already-widening divide between the two, but there was little he could do by then. So instead, he took the easy route, cooperating with the government at least so long as the war continued.
And indeed the war would continue, lasting another four years before coming to a close. But though the war was over, the battle for the spirit of Ikhan had only just begun.
It is here that Ashot's legacy becomes more complicated. If it weren't for the series of events that followed Esik Viras'es death, he would likely be seen as one of the greatest Emperors Ikhan ever had, but sometimes, even those in power will be deceived by those they call their closest confidants. Even the Emperor was blinded by his own dedication to finding a way to prepare his homeland that he couldn't see what was coming next.
An Empire Deceived
With the death of Esik Viras in 1937, Ikhan found itself directionless as the de-facto head of the state was now non-existent. In the next months, many would vie for power, but Varen Ikir would, using his relationship with the Emperor, turn him to his side, leading to him formally appointing him as the new chancellor. And surprisingly, for the first two years that he held the position, Varen proved to be an effective statesman, even if his policies were far more authoritarian and downright nationalistic than anything Ikhan had seen to that point.
But even as he masqueraded as a leader who sought only the best for his people, Varen began to clamp down on the state, gradually taking more and more power for himself. And in 1939, it finally happened. War broke out between Ikhan and the Ardian Empire once more, this as a result of an incident between the Heyran and Ikhani navies.
An Empire at War
At first, it was hoped that the war would be contained to the high seas, even if everyone in the military and government knew that would not remain the case for long. Soon enough, in early 1941, the first Ardian forces began to land in Ikhan, taking the cities of Ishkot and Emerei by July. Using this to his advantage, Chancellor Varen Ikir finally betrayed the oath he took when he was appointed and orchestrated a coup, seizing the National Assembly and turning the Emperor into little more than a puppet: a symbol of the state to maintain legitimacy and nothing more. Of course, this had likely done nothing for the relationship between the Chancellor and the Emperor but to further the already-widening divide between the two, but there was little he could do by then. So instead, he took the easy route, cooperating with the government at least so long as the war continued.
And indeed the war would continue, lasting another four years before coming to a close. But though the war was over, the battle for the spirit of Ikhan had only just begun.
Notes:
Gallery
Ashot (middle) with his mother, Isana Etsin (left), and father, Arkan IV Vahram (right), c.1898 — Portrait by Arkan Shiral