Queen Esper I

Portrait of Esper I.

Early Life

In an event which is recognized by most Pallisican scholars as the first major miracle of the modern era, Queen Esper I, then named Oja Esper, was born to a virgin mother in 821 WG, in the monastery of Krey'Aken. Recognized immediately by the leaders of the New Zimian Temple Authority as the first Oracle, or prophet of the Pallisican Host Spirit, Esper I spent much of her early childhood in the company of pirates with whom her mother hid her, in an effort to keep her from the religious authorities who sought to raise her as a future queen. Raised for the first six years of her life as a pirate in the Skerry Isles, the crew with whom Esper sailed was eventually captured, and Esper was placed for a short time under the supervision of nuns in the Mina Monastery. During this time Esper was taught the basic principles of the Pallisican Religion, and was introduced to the basic tenants of her future role at the helm of the nation's government. All of this was done in secrecy; until she turned ten years old the Council of Courts and the Temple Authority denied all reports that the purported Oracle had come under their care. This, they claimed, was done for her safety, and to ensure the future of the nation's government, which for the first time would now be led by a ruler not descended from the lineage of King Lucien I.

At ten years old Queen Esper I was placed under the direct supervision of Queen Evahn I, and was raised by the queen essentially as a daughter. Under the care of Queen Evahn, Esper received the highest quality education in all manner of fields of study, from politics, to religion, to the various sciences. Evahn and Esper, during this time, developed a very close personal relationship, and Esper traveled often with the queen wherever she went, as she established colonies around the Sea of Storms. Following the War of Jingdaoese Aggression, for example Esper traveled to Eastern Eura, to cities such as Shahpur, in order to participate in celebrations of peace and unity with the local pirate communities against whom Passio-Corum had once waged war. Following these travels, in the early 840s, Esper was named to the position of Lieutenant-Governor of the Realm of Alphaville. After serving for several years in this position, Esper I finally ascended to the Crown of Passio-Corum, following the abdication of Queen Evahn I in 853 WG. Queen Esper I was formally coronated on Sai 12, 853 WG, amidst significant fanfare.

Early Rule

Riding on the tremendous momentum of her ascension to the throne of Passio-Corum, Queen Esper I immediately set about implementing radical policies aimed at increasing and solidifying Pallisican influence in Passas. As part of these efforts, which largely served as a continuation of the policies implemented by Queen Evahn I near the end of her reign, Queen Esper immediately upon ascending to the throne established investments in mining operations in Chelkran Kesh, and relocated the headquarters of the New Zimian Temple Authority to the city of Chelkra. By doing so, Queen Esper I established, between the years 854 and 857 WG, what amounted to a Pallisican theocratic government directly on the border of Passas, in a move which tremendously increased New Zimian influence in the Pallisican homeland. These efforts laid the foundation for the eventual annexation of Passas, which resulted from the Treaty of Bel-Air in the late 800s.

Following her efforts to successfully increase Pallisican political, economic, and religious influence in Passas, Queen Esper I then turned to repairing and growing a slowing and faulty economic system, and improving relations with foreign nations against whom Passio-Corum had traditionally engaged in conflict. Regarding the first of these efforts, Queen Esper I, in the late 850's and early 860's WG, forgave all public debts, and abolished slavery as an officially sanctioned practice. These actions immediately resulted in the desired outcomes, economic growth accelerated, and Pallisicans rapidly began enjoying a higher quality of life, thanks to higher wages and improved infrastructure. Between 858 WG and 865, these economic reforms resulted in the creation of three notable companies: Trans-Corum Railway, which for the first time connected the various Pallisican territories on Corum, the Medical College of Cannassas, which established a degree of universal healthcare for citizens of Passio-Corum, and the Cherusken Fishing Company, which extended Pallisican economic interests to the southern shorts of Lake Cherusken, in southern Keltia. The establishment of these companies, and the economic growth which they brought about, resulted in acclaim for the newly coronated Queen Esper I, who many regarded very early for her economic and strategic wisdom.

In addition to her economic reforms, Queen Esper I also sought her early in her rule to improve relations between Passio-Corum and nations such as Jingdao and its various associated nations: Gerenia and the nations of Jack. This work, which began in the late 850's with the repeal of policies allowing for the enslavement of captured Jingdaoese pirates and a monetary gift intended to allow Jingdao to invest in the Pallisican military industry, eventually broke down in a disastrous event in which the Jingdaoese emperor was humiliated and expelled from the island of Voorpost, a territory operated by the New Zimian Outer Realms. The negotiations between Passio-Corum and Jingdao and its allies, later resulted in the creation of the Blackrock Pact, an alliance from which Passio-Corum was excluded. Rather than reduce the popularity and influence of Queen Esper I, this political failure actually increased the queen's political capital. In response to this increase popular support resulting from a breakdown in relations with Jingdao, Queen Esper I, in the late 860's, authorized an increase in production capacities for the companies associated with the Eastern Eura Trade Association, and promoted support for the arming of indigenous peoples opposed to Jingdaoese occupation and aggression. These combined efforts resulted, in turn, in further growth in the Pallisican economy, and further weakened the influence of hostile nations in the regions controlled by Passio-Corum. Thus Queen Esper I concluded the early era of her reign more powerful, and more popular than ever before.

Mid-Rule

The middle era of the rule of Queen Esper I is marked by military intervention.  Still fresh from the most recent breakdown in relations between itself and the nations which now constituted the Blackrock Pact, Passio-Corum, under the leadership of Queen Esper I, was quick in 874 WG to offer military support for the Kingdom of Constancia in its campaign against Jingdao in the Euran War.  Mere days after issuing an investigation regarding Jingdaoese aggression in southern Eura,the queen authorized the allocation of funds to Constancia, and the subsequent sale of 15 warships which would later be be used extensively by Constancia in operations against Calbion.  This support for Constancia during the Euran War marked the establishment of relationships between it and Passio-Corum, which in the 890s WG culminated in the ratification of the Treaty on Cooperation and Euran Trade.  Following the conclusion of the Euran War, between the years 878 and 880 WG, Queen Esper would also authorize the establishment of two notable pirate organizations, the Tax Guild of the Sea of Storms, and the Maritime Free Republic of Fishermen, who's purpose is to impose taxes on and plunder ships representing unfriendly and hostile foreign nations, who sail through the seas controlled by Passio-Corum.  These moves would strengthen Pallisican influence around the Sea of Storms, and would later allow for the complete territorial expansion of the Dependency of Tanah-Baru.

Notably, it was during the Euran War that Queen Esper I controversially, and covertly, deployed the New Zimian War League into Passas, in an effort to secure the region's borders against Hammish bandits who had begun raiding wealthy Passasian towns and villages.  This move, which was intended to further increase New Zimian influence in Passas, went largely unnoticed within the international community as a result of the Euran War, though it was met with widespread criticism in Passio-Corum, where vocal opponents of the queen argued that she had manipulated a foreign crisis in order to gain domestic advantage.  Supporters, in return, argued that Queen Esper I had acted in nowise differently than had Queen Evahn I in the War of Jingdaoese Aggression, and that such behavior and policy was not altogether atypical of Pallisican rulers.  This argument by supporters was largely ineffective.  The middle era of the reign of Queen Esper I, as a result, is largely mired by suspicions of political and spiritual corruption.  It was during this time, many believe, that Queen Esper lost her role as Oracle of the Pallisican Host Spirit.  These suspicions were seemingly verified when, in 894, Queen Esper I appointed as her heir the holder of the newly established Office of the Oracle, Opyeme Amor.