Yesterday the channel turned 10 years old, today is the 10 year anniversary of my first video. And so, it felt fitting to post my best lore video yet (imo)

The Merch Store: https://imperialknowledge.etsy.com/

“According to the cookbook…” damn we’re really stretching for any lore here aren’t we? 15 years without a game really does things to our brains, huh?

Happy tenth! 🎉

The Mede Emperors seem pretty dang legendary to be honest. Their legitimacy may not come from the Divines but they've earned it through their ability to hold the Empire together and to ensure its stability in times of war and crisis

Based on the Crisis of the 3rd Century etc, they are usurpers but because they were just usurping from other usurpers and warlords but because they came legitimate they would seen as something like Diocletian and Constantine etc. They should be applauded for managing to get the empire back together at all.

I personally LOVE the Medes. I love Uriel and Martin, but the Medes have always appealed to me as the most grounded, realistic imperial dynasty. Titus Mede I was just a warlord, possibly even just a bandit, who, through grit, will, and cunning, secured the highest position in Tamriel, and began putting the Empire back together. They're not Dragonborn, they have no covenant with Akatosh, or connection to an ascended god. They're just people, trying their best. And thats honestly fucking awesome, in a setting with so much prophecy.

My hope is that when esVI releases, all of the lore channels that have popped up over the years blow up with millions of new subscribers. Happy 10 years and here’s to 10 more!!

Attrebus Mede the goat

I personally think if you cross reference the DB questline, the civil war and all the quotes. That it seems glaringly obvious OOC that titus mede intentionally had himself assassinated to make himself a political martyr. So his successor (whom he likely was in cahoots with) could benefit from that and the fact they don't have the reputation titus mede II got slapped with due to the concordat. I could even see titus' 'cleaning up loose ends' with amaude motierre being a reflection of how Titus Mede the first manipulated the elder council situation. Just murdering him, instead of giving him what he was promised.

Chancellor Ocato had a lot of potential as a leader.  Experience governing the Empire, extremely long natural lifespan, etc.  How tragic that he was in charge while the Empire was actively collapsing.

mfers be hating on you if you ain't literally Tiber Septim 😥

Chad Okato.
He will forever be remembered.

Emperor Fools the Jibbering is the best/worst name for a ruler I have ever heard

31:40 Adding to this, Hammerfell is waaaaaaaayyy easier to fight an occupying force in than Cyrodiil. Which would be easier for locals to defend, magically extra fertile mediterranean farmlands or a craggy arid land with a large desert just past the coast (and the locals are famous for their naval excellence)?

Tbh, I do like the Medes. Titus Mede II feels cunning and like he knows the trouble the Empire is in, but is working to keep it alive. The Thalmor may be trotting around Skyrim and a civil war raging there, but he, I think rightly, considers the Aldmeri border more important. Plus how he acts in the Dark Brotherhood quest gives the impression he's thought of every contingency at this point and knows things will be okay for the Empire even with his death. Maybe that's just me coping, but he felt very competent and sure of himself when we meet him.

I hope TES VI has a 'Mede' coin to go along with 'Septim' coins

Sounds like the potentate was between a rock and a hard place…

You know, Titus Mede II is almost like the roman emperor Heraclius who saved the Eastern Roman Empire from completely falling apart by the Sassinid Empire. Both saved their Empires in a last ditch daring offensive striking a critical victory to end the war and save their empires against another empire who basically nearly wiped them out. Both would've been remembered as one of the best emperors if they died then and there, but they lived on. The Muslim invasions and failure to stop their advance  basically disgraced Heraclius, and the signing of the white gold concordat disgraced Titus Mede II. Tragic figures who saved their Empires.

‘Usurper’ is being used in a broad and negative way. You can be a usurper and a savior. Usurper doesn’t indicate poor competency on the job.

Consider the Roman Empire and usurpers who became emperors that ruled competently: Aurelian, Heraclius, Vespasian, Diocletian, Alexios I, Majorian. I could go on. .

Usurper is therefore a label of how someone came to power, not a damnation of effectiveness.

Happy anniversary! I remember finding your channel when you only had around a thousand subscribers, it was like hitting a goldmine of elder scrolls lore! I come back and watch your stuff whenever I’m back replaying the games!

One thing that I have been a bit obsessed with for a while, and I know this is something weird to focus so much on but that's just who I am, is, whatever became of Attrebus? In the novles, he is introduced as the son and heir of Titus Mede the 1st. And at the end of the novels, he and Annaïg Hoïnart seemingly falls in love, but it's never stated what happened afterwards. But considering the line continues into the 201st year of the 4th Era with current Emporer Titus Mede the 2nd, it seems like the two eventually got married and had a kid, but it's never confirmed anywhere. We know so little about this family line that I'd love for Bethesda to cover at some point. I mean look at all the details we know of the Septim line.