Drakon dynasty

The Drakon dynasty was the founding imperial dynasty of the Orlesian empire.

History[]

In the waning years of the Ancient Age, the Drakons were a declining noble Tevinter family headed by Lord Vanderin Drakon. His youngest son, Septimus, who possessed no magical abilities, was married to Castana, daughter of a powerful Ciriane chieftain. While all in Tevinter regarded the act as disposing of an unwanted, non-mage child, Septimus Drakon took with him the lessons he learned suriving the cutthroat Tevinter nobility. He shared this expertise with his wife, helping her to gain the approval of the Ciriane and Alamarri clans, and be named gothi or queen in -36 Ancient. Not long after the couple had a son, Kordillus Drakon I, who would forge Orlais into a vast empire.^[1]

Emperor Kordillus Drakon I died of old age in 1:45 Divine and was succeeded by his son Kordillus II.^[2] During Kordillus Drakon I's lifetime, he had created the most powerful, southern empire in Thedas, united most of the continent under the belief of the Maker, and laid the groundwork to stop the Second Blight.^[3] Emperor Kordillus is credited with creating the Circle of Magi, the Templar Order, and the office of Divine. For his actions, he was declared "Anointed" by the Chantry, which he helped to establish into a mainstream institution, and is revered as highly as Andraste by many of its members.^[4]

Emperor Kordillus II succeeded to the throne in the middle of the Second Blight. Unlike his father, he did little to strengthen anyone's position in the face of the darkspawn hordes, and by the time the Blight came to an end, entire villages had been destroyed and many lives lost.^[5] He didn’t possess the political savvy of his father either, and twenty years into his rule, the Anderfels declared its independence. However, while Orlais steadily lost territory, the Chantry continued to spread rapidly, aided by the Grey Wardens as the Second Blight wound down.^[6]^[7] In one of his last acts as Emperor, Kordillus II aided Divine Renata I in the destruction of the Dales during the Exalted March, in spite of his father's close friendship with the elven Inquisitor Ameridan.^[8] Despite his failings as a ruler, Kordillus II remained in power well into old age, with a reign of over sixty years.

Kordillus Drakon II was succeeded by Empress Jeaneve Drakon I, the first empress of Orlais. Her reign was an era of "cultural betterment" and saw the establishment of many core Orlesian customs. These include the use of masks and the founding of her personal guard, the Empress Arm, which served as a precursor to the chevaliers.^[9]

In the latter half of the Exalted Age, Xavier Drakon claimed the title of Emperor. However, he was denounced as a usurper and false Emperor and the whole of Orlais became embroiled in a civil war. Xavier was slain by Alphonse Valmont in single combat, marking the end of the Drakon dynasty.^[10]

Known Drakons[]

Lord Vanderin Drakon – a Tevinter lord^[1]
Septimus Drakon – youngest son of Vanderin and a non-mage son; he wed Castana, the daughter of a prominent Ciriane chieftain^[1]
Emperor Kordillus Drakon I
Emperor Kordillus Drakon II – succeeded his father as Emperor in 1:45 Divine.
Empress Jeaneve Drakon I – first Empress of Orlais, whose reign marked an age of "cultural betterment"^[9]
Emperor Xavier Drakon – known as the "usurper" and "false Emperor," he was desposed in a civil war and slain by Alphonse Valmont^[10]^[11]
King Tylus Van Markham – first Van Markham King of Nevarra; he claimed to be descended from Kordillus Drakon^[12]